No-Bake Energy Bites

Lately I have been finding a lot of AMAZING stuff on Pinterest. Being as poor as we have been, it's great to find ideas to make wonderful gifts. I used to love this season, because I loved shopping and finding unique, perfect gifts for everyone. Well, last year I wasn't able to participate in Christmas gift giving, which greatly saddened me. This year funds are even lower. However, while I was creating so many things for my wedding this summer I realized how much I enjoyed crafting. It makes sense, really...I've always enjoyed art, was in the gifted and talented art classes during elementary school, and ended up a graphic and web designer for over 11 years.

Anyway, I digress! Pinterest has not only given me amazing gift ideas, but also great recipes. This latest one is a healthy, delicious no-bake one that I put together in about 5 minutes. I found this one on the blog Smashed Peas and Carrots, so proper credit should be given there. However, I knew I had to share this one as well (albeit slightly modified), because it is a healthy alternative to high-fat, low-protein snacks such as candy bars or even sugary mass-produced granola bars.

One of the best things about this snack is the integration of flaxseed meal. Flaxseed is definitely a superfood, and most notably for three main ingredients:

• Omega-3 essential fatty acids, "good" fats that have been shown to have heart-healthy effects. Each tablespoon of ground flaxseed contains about 1.8 grams of plant omega-3s.
• Lignans, which have both plant estrogen and antioxidant qualities. Flaxseed contains 75-800 times more lignans than other plant foods.
• Fiber. Flaxseed contains both the soluble and insoluble types. (source: WebMD)

For more information on the health benefits of flaxseed, please visit this link.

No-Bake Energy Bites
Yield: 24 balls
1 c. oatmeal
1/2 c. peanut butter or other nut butter (I combined 1/4 c. natural peanut butter and 1/4 c. unsweetened natural cashew butter)*
1/3 c. honey
1 c. coconut flakes (sweetened or unsweetened)
1/2 c. flaxseed meal or ground flaxseed
1/2 tbsp. cocoa powder, unsweetened
1/2 c. mini chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix everything together in medium bowl until thoroughly mixed. Chill in refrigerator for at least 1/2 hour. Form into balls and enjoy!

*I combined peanut butter and cashew butter because I have had mild reactions to peanuts and peanut butter in the past, and didn't want to push the envelope. I prefer its taste to cashew butter, though, but found the mix was still delicious.

Ultimate Chocolate Fudge Pie

So I found another amazing recipe while browsing Pinterest. Actually, I found an amazing blog called Chocolate Covered Katie. Katie is a vegan who absolutely adores chocolate. She has so many vegan recipes on her site. At first I was skeptical, because I tend to not like healthy foods (read our story for more information as to why) but the pictures looked phenomenal. Plus, Katie swears that all of her healthy-food hating friends love many of her recipes.

Photo by Chocolate Covered Katie

I saw this one for Chocolate Fudge Pie and drooled at the picture. I love chocolate pie; I really do. But I know that the grams of fat (due to the heavy cream) and the amount of sugar are astronomical. So, when I saw that this recipe used tofu as the filler, I was surprised. I mean, I'm no tofu expert; I've maybe used it once before. But tofu is known for its ability to take on the flavors it is cooked with. Little did I know that it could produce a consistency very similar to that of heavy cream.

Anyway, here's a link to the recipe. Please read it first, and refer back to that if you are going to share this recipe with others. Below I will describe how I slightly adapted it. And, in case you were wondering, yes, I did use the Vitamix! :)

As always, I certainly suggest you to try this recipe in your own blenders or other machines -- just follow the directions as your instructional manual suggests.

(Vita-Mix Recipe) 

1 package silken or firm tofu

1 tsp cocoa powder

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 tbsp. vanilla almond milk

1/8 tsp. salt

10 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

3 tbsp. agave nectar

1 tbsp. sugar (to add additional sweetness)

Pie crust 

Ok. Now for my changes. I followed Katie's directions by melting the chocolate on the stove (I try to avoid using the microwave at all costs, due to the loss of nutrition it creates). If you melt it on medium and keep stirring it shouldn't burn.  I put all the ingredients into the Vitamix in the order that Katie has them listed on her recipe, and started on Variable 1 and quickly moved up to 10 and then high. I blended it until it was smooth, and then poured it into a store-bought low-fat graham cracker crust. I then chilled it in the refrigerator for several hours.

So, some notes. for the filling, I found that even 2-3 tbsp. of agave nectar (as Katie recommended) left it still not sweet enough for my tastes (because of the semi-sweet chocolate chips, it was very rich) so I added 1 tbsp. of sugar as well.  As for the tofu, I used the Mori-Nu firm silken (found it in the refrigerated section of the natural foods aisle at Smith's). I would think that using a softer set would lead to a more mousse-like texture, if you prefer that.

Honestly, once I tried the pie, I was blown away by how non-healthy it tasted. The tofu is the perfect substitute for heavy cream. However, the next time I may try a few things. I was trying to avoid making this dairy so 1) I didn't use milk chocolate chips, and 2) I did not use whipped cream on top. I did buy some light Cool Whip, because it is non-dairy, but considering how it's just made of hydrogenated oils, I know it is not a healthy alternative. The truth is, though, because of the richness of this pie, it definitely needs something on top to help balance it out. I will probably consider trying Katie's recipe for vegan cool whip to see how that works!

By the way, I am not anti-dairy. I am trying to just keep in line with the vegan base of this recipe. For myself, I try to limit dairy intake, that's all.

Pumpkin chocolate-chip cake

So while browsing Pinterest I came across a pin that linked to this fabulous recipe: Two Ingredients Pumpkin Cake with Apple Cider Glaze from Big Red Kitchen. I have had a Betty Crocker yellow cake mix in my cupboard for quite some time (I love yellow cake w/chocolate frosting!) However, I have been avoiding making it because cake is so fattening and full of sugar. Anyway, I decided to give this a try: after all, it looked interesting, it was a good recipe for this time of year, and I tend to love pumpkin breads, muffins, etc.

This recipe would be good for those who have allergies or are avoiding eggs and fattening butters/oils. Try making it with a gluten-free cake mix to make it even healthier. Apparently you can use any cake mix you want (chocolate, spice, etc.) and some have even used a brownie mix and substituted the pumpkin pureé for the wet ingredients there. My suggestion? Try different combinations out to your liking. Below is my variation of the recipe.

I found that this cake was absolutely delicious; moist, with a wonderful texture, and only a slight hint of a pumpkin flavor. One could spice it up with pumpkin pie spice, if they preferred. I added a cream cheese glaze to the top of mine, but realized that it really did not need it at all. I will include the recipe for my glaze, but I think it would be better plain, or with perhaps just a slight sprinkling of powdered sugar, or a cinnamon-chocolate glaze.

Easy Pumpkin Chocolate-Chip Cake
Yield: 12 Servings
1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1 15 oz. can 100% pumpkin pureé (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 c. (4 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°. In your stand mixer or in a large bowl mix cake mix with pumpkin pureé. Beat on medium for 2 minutes or until well blended. Batter will be thick. Carefully fold in chocolate chips. Spread batter into a greased 7x11 inch baking dish (please note that this isn't your usual 13x9 - with this substitution the cake WILL be smaller). Bake for 28 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting (unless glazing; then glaze when cake is still warm, but not hot).


Cream Cheese Glaze
(I like to go easy on the glaze; you may double this if desired)
1/4 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. (2 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tbsp. fresh orange juice

1/2 tbsp. low-fat milk 

Place powdered sugar and cream cheese in a bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Beat in vanilla. Add orange juice and milk 1/2 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. Drizzle on warm cake. Note: If desired, you can omit orange juice and increase milk to 1 1/2 tablespoons, or use water instead of both.