Cookies - Healthy Option

Black Bean Chocolate Cookies 

(you wont even know they are good for you) 

This holiday season, or whenever you are craving chocolate, create something you will feel good about eating. This should satisfy that chocolate craving because the richness of the cocoa powder and the thickness of the beans makes these cookies fudgey and very satisfying!

Black beans and nut butters give these morsels punch of protein. Good oils in the nuts and coconut oils are important to absorb nutrients and minerals as well as for overall health. Cocoa powder gives a boost of antioxidants. Chocolate chips.....well, they are yummy and if you get organic, extra dark, the better they are.

NOTE: when and if, use as many organic ingredients as you can. If you don't have it, use what you do.

1 cup cooked organic black beans (rinsed if using canned)

2 tablespoons organic coconut oil or olive oil

2 tablespoons organic nut butter ( I like to use 1 almond butter & 1 peanut butter)

2 tablespoons organic milk of choice

5 tablespoons organic cocoa powder

4-6 pitted dates OR 1/2 cup maple syrup or sucanat sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soada

1/4 -1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Optional: 1/4 cup nuts of choice (crushed walnuts, almonds, cashews, pecans, peanuts etc.)

              Add 2-3 drops of peppermint oil for festive cookies, or use different kinds of chocolate chips like peanut butter, white chocolate or peanut butter or even dried tart cherries, be creative! 

Turn oven on to 350 degrees. Put everything, except chocolate chips and nuts, in a food processor, blend until smooth. Add chocolate chips and nuts if you desire. Pulse a few times. 

Scoop into 2 inch rounds, slightly press down to make a disk. bake in oven for 8-12 minutes. They will be pretty soft, but will set up when cooling. Should have a soft brownie like texture in the middle and firm edges when cooked right. 

These things can be made up and baked in about 20 minutes or less. Easy, healthy and super yummy. Use them for the last minute party you forgot to make something for or a power snack for you and your family. 

Inspired by Green Kitchen

Happy Holidays! xx

Superfood Power Bites

Pictured: 1/2 mixture with cocoa powder for a chocolatey punch, other half with spirulina for a green powerhouse option!

In need of a snack item that you can eat right away, that will give you the energy that you need and the nutrients it takes to make it until the next meal? Make these in numerous varieties so that you always have something on hand. Also, great for a healthy sweet-tooth option! 

Recipe:

1/2 cup walnuts

1/4 cup hempseeds

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

1/3 cup regular OR gluten free oats 

2 teaspoons chlorella or spirulina

1/8 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup diced dry figs

1/4 cup goji berries (soaked in warm water 5-10 minutes and drained)

1/3 cup pitted dates

1/4 cup dried tart cherries

1/4 cup dried cranberries

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1/4 cup shredded coconut

In food processor combine walnuts, oats, all seeds and nuts, green powder and salt. Pulse until nuts are ground coarsely. Add rest of ingredients and mix for 15-30 seconds. Stop to scrape off sides and pulse for another 30 seconds or so until you get a sticky dough. You do not want to over mix. Roll into 1 inch balls and freeze until ready to eat. Store in fridge for 3 weeks or freezer for 3 months. 

Variations:

If you want all nuts and no oats, replace oats with favorite nut.

If you love nut butter add 1/3 cup favorite nut butter like peanut, cashew almond etc. in replacement of dates. However, add 2-3 dates for sweetness. 

Omit the cocoa powder all together for a more earthy treat. 

Omit coconut if you do not like the taste.

If you don't have figs or do not like them, replace them with golden or red raisins. Same for dates. 

To make these even more powerful add 1-3 of these superfoods: 1 tablespoon acai powder, 1 teaspoon maca powder, 2 teaspoons ashwagandha powder, 1.5 tablespoons camu camu, maqui berry, pomegranate powder. 

Adding fiber and more protein: 1 tablespoon tasteless fiber powder and/or 2 tablespoons favorite protein powder

Ayurveda Note: Great snack for vata or pitta. Too heavy and sticky for Kapha. 

Home Made Nut Butter Cups

My husband loves peanut butter. I love peanut butter (or any nut butter) and chocolate. But I have been trying to stay away from sugar on a daily basis. Every now and then I allow myself a sweet treat, but most of the time I still try to make it somewhat healthy. So I decided to make my own nut butter cups. Instead of just chocolate and peanut butter, I made a crust that added a little more chew and a whole lot more satisfaction!

Ingredients
3/4 shredded organic unsweetened coconut
1/2 cups organic almonds or cashews
3 tablespoons organic cacao powder
1/8 tsp coarse sea salt
2 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup pitted dates

Mix all together in a food processor until a gritty texture.
Press into an 8x8 pan or press into muffin baking cups if you want to make your own individual "PB cups"
Freeze for 10 minutes

Take out of freezer and layer on favorite nut butter: My favorite is almond. But cashew or peanut butter tastes fantastic too. Make the layer about 1/8-1/4 inch thick.
Freeze for 5 minutes.
Melt 1.5 - 88% organic dark chocolate bars (or whatever your favorite chocolate is) with 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, over low heat until completely melted. Stir often.
Pull pan out of the freezer and pour melted chocolate and coconut oil mix over the nut butter.
Freeze for another 10 minutes. Pull out and serve immediately. Do lot let these treats sit out too long or they will melt.
Store in the refrigerator.