Super Simple Chocolate Coconut Cookies (dairy-free, refined sugar-free, gluten-free)

We are off to a party tonight and I offered to bring a dessert. I like bringing desserts to parties because I want to be a good guest and not show up empty handed plus I like to know that there will be a sweet option that is (somewhat) healthy. After a few glasses of wine, my willpower to say no to desserts becomes pretty much non-existent. Not to mention my 3 year old who hasn't met a cookie/cake/cupcake/popsicle/etc that she doesn't like (and talk about, dream about, all around obsess over).

Today's recipe is very easy; it only takes 5-10 minutes to prepare and then 15 minutes to cook. It is a perfect recipe for little hands to aid in as well as it is just like making mud pies. It comes from one of my favorite healthy bloggers - Leanne at Healthful Pursuit.

5 Ingredient Chewy Chocolate Coconut Cookies

Vegan (option), Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Refined sugar-free, Yeast-free, Corn-free, Grain-free
Fudge filled coconut cookies with just 5 simple, easy to find ingredients.
Yield: 16 cookies
Servings: 16

Ingredients

• 2 cup finely shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup cocao powder
• 1/2 cup unpasteurized honey
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicon baking mat.
2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix until combined.
3. Grab a little bit of mixture with hands and press together, flattening out like the mud pies you may have made as a kid with the mud in your backyard (I swear these cookies will taste better!)
4. Place on prepared baking sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until golden. Mine were perfect at 15 minutes.

Egg free: replace 2 eggs with 2 flax eggs – 2 tbsp finely ground flax seed mixed with 6 tbsp water. Cook for the same amount of time just be careful when removing from the pan as they’re a bit more fragile.
Vegan: use egg-free option above and use date syrup or rice syrup instead of honey.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Banana Cake Brownies (gluten-free, refined sugar free, dairy free)

I have made this recipe a few times now and each time have received rave reviews from all, including those that don't like desserts (really? this type of person exists?) and those that are only used to overly processed, high sugar desserts. I found this on one of my favorite blogs to get healthy recipes from and once again it didn't disappoint. It is a fun one for little ones to help you with. Jane's favorite part was smashing the bananas.

The original recipe did not call for frosting, but Jane didn't understand the idea of a cake without frosting so something had to be figured out fast. One of my favorite "frostings" to make is coconut butter. It is super simple, you just dump some unsweetened shredded coconut in a food processor and let it run for about 10 minutes (scraping the sides down periodically). It will turn into an almost liquid form and then you can drizzle it on the cake. Jane insisted on adding strawberries to it too so our dessert turned into a strawberry-coconut-chocolate-banana-cake. There was a lot of frosting so we put the rest in a jar and stored it in the fridge. Its perfect for smoothies, waffles, or just a bite here and there to satisfy a sweet craving.

Ingredients

Wet

• 2 eggs (can substitute with 2 tbs ground flax or chia seeds + 7 tbs water)
• 3/4 cup palm sugar
• 1/2 cup extra virgin coconut oil, softened
• 4 bananas, mashed
• 2 vanilla beans, 1/2 tsp vanilla paste or 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Dry

• 1 cup brown rice flour 
• 3/4 cup tapioca starch/flour
• 3 tbsp cacao powder or carob powder
• 1 tbsp ground flax seed
• 2 tsp gluten-free baking powder
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350F and line 8×8 pan with parchment paper across both sides for easy lifting and set aside.
2. If you aren't using eggs, combine ground chia or flax seeds and water, set aside for 5 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, cream palm sugar and coconut oil with a hand or stand mixer for 3 minutes.
4. Add mashed banana, vanilla and chia mixture. Set aside.
5. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk all dry ingredients. Once combined, add to wet mixture and mix with hand or stand mixture until incorporated.
6. Add walnuts if using them.
7. Drop batter into prepared pan, flattening out as best you can.
8. Bake until golden, 40-50 minutes, or toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from the oven, slide out of baking pan and place on a cooling rack for 30 minutes. 

Community-Supported Agriculture - filling in the hole for this city gal

My husband and I usually throw around the idea of moving to the suburbs at least once a year. This desire is usually born from one of two things: the desire for a garden and a yard for our daughter to run around. For the foreseeable future we are confident that the city is where we are supposed to be, but this still leaves a hole which can only be filled by pounds of locally grown organic vegetables. Enter our CSA (community-supported agriculture). We bought a share of a local organic farm and in turn we receive a box each week filled with the farm's bounty of fresh vegetables. It is a great way for a city girl like me to stay in tune with what is in season and get the opportunity to sample new produce that I probably wouldn't have tried (or even  heard of) on my own. Along with the produce we get a newsletter about what's going on at the farm and some recipe suggestions for the items in the box. This is my second week and I am so excited that we decided to do this. This weeks box contained: broccoli, zucchini, kale, tatsoi (never heard of this before but apparently it is an Asian green related to bok choy), scallions, lettuce, spinach, beets, basil and dill.

I believe the CSA that we are doing Angelic Organics still has shares available. They deliver all around the Chicago area so I encourage you to try it if you are like me and don't have a garden of your own.

As for the yard for our daughter to play in, the many parks of Chicago will have to fill this hole for now. While it would be nice to have a place where she can run and get out all of her energy as I enjoy the comforts of my own home, a girl can't have it all.

Overnight Oats

Last year I was introduced to the overnight oat and my world of breakfast has never been the same. Who knew that soaking uncooked oats (can't technically call them raw unless they are the oat groats, which I do plan on trying out soon) could result in such glorious concoctions. The possibilities are endless. You really haven't lived life until you have tried an oat smoothie (future blog post, I promise). This morning I tried a new recipe using the overnight oats idea. It is packed full of lots of nutritious, energizing goodies that will get your day going with a bang. I think it would have been really good with fresh berries from your local farmer's market. Feel free to add your favorites to the recipe and make it your own.

Recipe

Serves 2-4

1 Cup rolled oats
2 Cups Almond Milk (homemade or store bought)
2 Tbs Chia Seeds
1 Tbs Cinnamon
1/2 grated apple
1/4 Cup Mulberries
1/4 Cup slivered almonds

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and store it in the fridge overnight. When you wake your breakfast will be waiting for you, cool and refreshing - perfect for these hot summer days. Enjoy!

Balsamic Vinegar - Not your Grandma's Vinegar Anymore

For the past year I have been borderline obsessed with balsamic vinegar. I put it on everything - salads, roasted veggies, kale chips, smoothies - well, not yet but I bet there is a smoothie recipe out there that would work well with balsamic vinegar. I will have to do some experimentation with that one and get back to you.
Recently I read an article about different balsamic vinegars and it made me think I should probably step it up a bit and try different balsamic vinegars than the giant bottle I usually get from Costco. I had the opportunity to do this a few weeks ago when we were visiting our cousin Paula in Minnesota. She took us to a store called The Oilerie that had the most amazing infused vinegars and oils. You could sample them all and I was totally overwhelmed by which one(s) to get. Somehow I managed to narrow it down to an oregano white balsamic vinegar, a vanilla infused oil, and a 25 year balsamic vinegar.

 I had no idea I could feel so strongly for something in a bottle that contains no alcohol. It is absolutely delicious! Most recently I have discovered how yummy it is on popcorn. I wouldn't recommend this with your ordinary run-of-the-mill balsamic vinegar but if you find yourself an extraordinary bottle, I say drizzle away! And be sure to let me know what you think.

A Tasting of Spring Veggies

It was my birthday the other day and after much debate we decided on Uncommon Ground for dinner. I love that this restaurant uses local, organic products whenever possible and its in walking distance from my house. The final clencher was when I saw 'Tasting of Spring Veggies' on the menu. I love the opportunity to try new vegetables and since I am totally clueless about gardening and growing my own spring vegetables (city living and my 10 by 10 foot back deck do not lend themselves easily to the mountains of kale and other glorious produce that I fantasize about one day supplying for my family), a menu item like this really excites me.

The dish was delicious and had several items that had me completely stumped as to what they were. There was an unfortunate incident involving my daughter and a cast iron skillet (what kind of a rookie puts a burning hot skillet in front of a 3 year old?) so I never did ask the waiter to describe to me what I was eating. So for now the green veggies flanking either side of the plate will remain a mystery - hopefully one day to be solved when I eat them again. Also, the dish rested on something described as porcini soil. It had a very unique taste - a little bit earthy yet sweet. Not for the newbie foodie but a memorable culinary experience all around.