Dairy Free on Valentine’s Day

Being dairy free on Valentine’s Day feels like a drag – all those velvet covered  heart shaped boxes of yummy chocolate.  Chocolate roses, chocolate fondues… everything about Valentine’s day is about indulgence – and indulgence usually means full fat cream, butter and dairy laden chocolate!

I’m here to save you! 

(Sweet hearts above are dairy free!) – source

You can check out my post from Valentines last year – full of Valentine’s Day treats including a nut based lemon cheesecake, banana lemon pie, banana soft serve with caramel and chocolate sauce and my favorite – chocolate love affair cookies!

Up at the top of my list today – Fruit Kebabs with Brownies and Chocolate Drizzle

A link to a few other tasty treats – (note the rolos are not dairy free)… this link includes – chocolate dipped figs with pecans, chocolate drizzled jube jubes (sooo good!)

I made this chocolate fudge at Christmas time and it was LOVED by everyone.  I also warmed up some peanut butter in the microwave and swirled it through – SO good!

My ABSOLUTE favorite caramel recipe – I used this to make turtles and peanut clusters – it takes about 5 mins total, and your dairy free loved one will feel SO loved!

Over Christmas I made Oh She Glows Sinless Sticky Toffee Date Pudding – it was incredible and gooey!!

 

Not a pretty picture but what can you do?

Peanut Butter Cups

These little beauties are a favourite around our house. Also last year they won a Christmas baking contest! They are so simple, yet so tasty!

• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 TBSP coconut oil (optional, but adds to the flavours)
• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• Mini cupcake liners (Dollar store often has fun holiday themed ones!)

-Melt chocolate chips and coconut oil in a double boiler until smooth.

-Mix peanut butter and icing sugar together to form a dough. If dough is sticky to touch, add extra icing sugar.

-Add a bit of melted chocolate to cupcake liner. Tap on counter until chocolate fills bottom of liner.

-Once all liners are full, put into fridge or freezer until solid.

-Once chocolate is solid, take a dime size amount of peanut butter dough and roll into a ball, then flatten.

-Add to liner; keep the peanut butter dough away from the corners of the liner.

-Cover with a bit of melted chocolate – tap until peanut butter is covered.

-Return to fridge/freezer until harden.

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Something I want to make very soon – Chocolate Dipped Oreos!! (yes Oreos are dairy free!!)

(source)

Melt some dairy free chocolate (like Endangered Species 72%) with a little coconut oil in a double boiler on the stove. 

Dip the Oreos in the chocolate and cover completely.  Place  dipped Oreos on parchment paper – now’s the fun part! Decorate with sprinkles, or edible sparkles – you could have fun with this one!!

Place dipped Oreos in the fridge until hardened, and then place each Oreo in a Valentines (or red) cupcake liner!!   Voilà – a beautiful jester of the deepest dairy free love! 

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How about some chocolate fondue??? (I loooooove chocolate fondue)

Make this to taste (may need to adjust ingredients – this is just a rough guess of what I put in);

1 TBSP - Raw Cocoa Powder

2 TBSP - Maple Syrup (or Agave)

2 TBSP Warm Water

vanilla

Optional;

spices if you like – get creative – cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, chilli powder, curry

1 TBSP – Peanut Butter, Tahini or other nut butter (Cashew would be dreamy)

1 tsp. – macca powder (optional – but good to help with the feelings of LOVE!)

Liquor – Sub Kahlua (which is dairy free) or an orange liquor for the water.

Mix it all together and get dipping!

Ideas for dippers – fruit, dried fruits, angel food cake, graham crackers, marshmallows, brownies

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Oh and then there is Chocolate Covered Katie's 20 Valentines Day Treats! (SERIOUSLY drooly)…

Remember – ANY vegan recipe is dairy free – and 99% of Raw recipes are dairy free (there are a few with Raw Dairy in them?!)

 

Hope you have a beautiful Valentine’s Day and you find something sweet for yourself and for your sweetie!

What was baked!

Hey guys!

Can you believe it’s almost Christmas?  Time flies when you are having fun!!  This has been a whirlwind kind of week.  My husband finished his masters degree on Tuesday (YAY), I had a surprise party for him Friday, tonight is my Christmas party and the hubby’s parents are coming to stay with us for a week – so as you can imagine, life is busy (but wonderful)…

I’ve had a few emails regarding surviving over the holidays being dairy free.  I highly recommend taking a look at my Dairy Free Survival Guide for ideas and also my post, Challenges of Being Dairy Free is a great one with tips for what to do where!   These posts and a few more can always been found at the top of my blog under Dairy Free Resources.  

Moving on – I have been terrible at taking food photos – so bear with me.    I wanted to compile a list of all the things that I baked this Christmas!!

Ready?

• Mama Pea’s No Bake Snowball Cookies – easy, fast and gooey!  I love them, the hubby thought they were too oatmeal.
• Dandelions on the Wall’s – Allergy Free Fudge. (OMG). So good! Made two batches – one I melted some peanut butter and swirled in and the second I added super finely ground espresso beans!  SOOOOOOOOo good!!
• Made a double batch of the Chocolate Love Affair Cookies!
• Oh She Glow’s Egg Nog Biscotti’s – which have become a favourite around here!
• Haven’t’ made these yet, but I may!!  Of course sub the butter for either DF butter or coconut oil! Low Fat Gingerbread Cookies.
• I also made Caramel Chocolate Goodies.  Super easy caramel recipe – I have used it for a few things including – turtles (caramel and chocolate covered pecans) and caramel popcorn with peanuts and peanut clusters!!  Best Caramel Recipe I’ve found!
• Still on the list to make – probably for Christmas dinner - Sinless Sticky Toffee Pecan Pudding!!  Droooooooooooool.    Funny story – before becoming dairy free and when I lived in Calgary, I often went for “dinner” at Earls, and actually only would eat a sticky toffee pudding…  It was warm and drippy and had a caramel lattice on top that was crunchy and sticky – such a great combo!!
• Peanut Butter Cups – of course!!  I had one of my Special Olympics girls say they were the best peanut butter cups EVERRRRRRR!!  hehe  

I baked 2 other kinds of cookies – a gingersnap and a banana snicker doodle -  they were just ok though and I want to only give you the best of the best!!

What are you/did you bake this Christmas?

Dairy Free Christmas Treats

Hey everyone!!  Finally a post from me!    I apologize for not posting, but I have only been cooking 1x per week due to my work schedule (working nights) and our busy weekends! 

I’m starting my holiday baking though, which reminded me of a few treats I made last year when I was writing for Our Big Earth!

Here you go!!  I will try to post more baking – as I am obsessed with this caramel recipe and I’m trying to make lots of Christmas caramel treats!

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It’s amazing that the store shelves have been stocked with Christmas decorations for a month now, and that Christmas is just around the bend, which means it’s a perfect time to start Christmas baking!  

As many of you know, if you don’t bake or make treats that means you probably won’t get any treats at Christmas. Every treat laid out beautifully at family and friend’s homes that you can’t touch. For me baked goods don’t call my name as much as chocolate does! One of my favourite Christmas treats were my Grandma’s chocolate covered dried fruit and nuts, oh the horror when I couldn’t even have a single bite!

If you are dairy-free or vegan I know you feel my pain. But I have a bunch of great alternatives for you this holiday season! Each one of these is very fast to make, cheap, gluten-free and make fantastic gifts. I don’t often go anywhere over the holidays without a plate of these goodies and they are typically the first ones to disappear (I promise I’m not the only one eating them!) All the goodies can be frozen, to pull out before guests arrive.

After a few years of buying very expensive dairy free chocolate, I was ecstatic to find out that President’s Choice, “The Decedent” chocolate chips are dairy-free. They have a great rich chocolate flavour, and are the chocolate that I use in all the recipes.  I also buy a 10lb box of chocolate chips at Costco – and they are dairy free and tasty!

Peanut Butter Cups

These little beauties are a favourite around our house. Also last year they won a Christmas baking contest! They are so simple, yet so tasty!

• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 TBSP coconut oil (optional, but adds to the flavours)
• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• Mini cupcake liners (Dollar store often has fun holiday themed ones!)

-Melt chocolate chips and coconut oil in a double boiler until smooth.

-Mix peanut butter and icing sugar together to form a dough. If dough is sticky to touch, add extra icing sugar.

-Add a bit of melted chocolate to cupcake liner. Tap on counter until chocolate fills bottom of liner.

-Once all liners are full, put into fridge or freezer until solid.

-Once chocolate is solid, take a dime size amount of peanut butter dough and roll into a ball, then flatten.

-Add to liner; keep the peanut butter dough away from the corners of the liner.

-Cover with a bit of melted chocolate – tap until peanut butter is covered.

-Return to fridge/freezer until harden.

Fruit and Nut Bark

• 1/2 cup toasted, unsalted nuts (can be assorted), pistachios look beautiful!
• 1/2 cup dried fruit (chopping into small pieces )
• 1 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1 TBSP coconut oil

-Melt chocolate chips and coconut oil in a double boiler.

-Once melted, mix nuts and dried fruit into chocolate mixture.

-Pour onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet

-Smooth until 1 inch thick

-Place in fridge or freeze until solid

-Break into assorted sized pieces and serve slightly chilled

Marshmallow Snowflakes

Great recipe for left over chocolate!! Looks beautiful on a plate with other goodies.

-Dip marshmallows into melted chocolate and roll in coconut.

-Place on parchment lined baking sheet and place in fridge until chocolate is solid.

Chai Tea Candied Nuts

I have made this recipe with a few different flavours of spice including chilli pepper, cinnamon, curry and they are all delicious but this is my favourite and most festive! Plus your house smells amazing while cooking!

• 3 tea chai tea bags (or more if you like more spice)
• 3 cups unsalted, raw nuts (I used almonds and pecans)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp. earth balance butter (or butter of choice)

-Break open chai tea bags, pour chai into coffee grinder or spice mill to grind into a powder.

-Add nuts, water, sugar, butter and chai tea into a pan.

-Turn stove to medium heat and stir nut mixture until the liquid has dissolved and nuts are caramelized.

-Stir constantly to prevent burning.

-Transfer onto a parchment lined pan and put into fridge until cooled.

-Break apart once cooled.

Hope you enjoyed these!!  I will have more for you soon – I promise!

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Fruit and Brownie Kebabs

Helloooooooo – long time no talk!!  I’ve been a busy bee!

I have an awesome easy take to a BBQ dessert for you today! 

Fruit + Brownies = perfect BBQ/shower treat!!

Fruit and Brownie Kebabs

10 kebab sticks

4 bananas

20 strawberries

1/2 fresh pineapple

10 mint leaves

Lemon juice

Brownies

For chocolate drizzle

1/2 cup dairy free chocolate chips

1 tsp coconut oil/

First off you need to make some brownies (because I’ve been so busy, I used a bought brownie mix (many of them are dairy free if you look at the ingredients), if you want to make your own here are two different recipes!   Make sure brownies are completely cooled (I popped mine into the freezer).

Slice up strawberries, pineapple and bananas.  Toss in lemon juice

Cut brownies into 1 inch x 1 inch cubes (you need 20 in total)

Start assembling kebabs – each one should fit 2 pieces of each fruit, 2 brownies and one mint leaf! Arrange however you want!

For the drizzle – melt chocolate chips in a double boiler – add in coconut oil to make it easier to drizzle.

My brownies didn’t work out so well, so they weren’t perfect little squares.

Everyone really enjoyed them – especially the kids!  It’s a nice light dessert for a hot night!

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So I’ve noticed that the walking challenge has kind of died down… Today is the half way point!

If you have been walking – make sure to update your totals!  I know it’s hard in the summer time, but keep it coming!!  

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Hope you are having a great week!!   Hard to believe it’s already Wednesday!!

Bits and Bites and Awesome Dairy Free Chocolate

Good Morning, Afternoon or any time this post actually posts!!  (I’m having troubles posting)

Glad you guys all enjoyed the flower post yesterday!!  Seeing flowers makes it seem like summer – although the weather is not making me feel like summer at all – moving on.

Because I don’t write down the recipes for everything I try, I find that sometimes I have a bunch of foodie pictures to show you but no directions to go along with… but I’ll show you anyways

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On the 2 days so far that we have had summer like weather – I went for my old faithful summer meal.

Salad Rolls – I LOVE them – you can stuff them with anything you like – make an amazing dip and there ya go!    Easy Peasy!

I usually stuff mine with veggies, avocado, sprouts, seaweed, and fresh herbs! YUM!

Up next… 

An interesting breakfast which I’m calling breaky Bi Bim Bap.  Raw oatmeal on the bottom, chia seeds, almonds, dates, gogi berries and sunflower seed butter.   I put on about 1/2 cup almond milk and let it sit for a few hours.   It was pretty good – although, I just don’t LOVE oatmeal

And then..

I made the “Not Egg Salad” from the Raw Rose Cookbook!   Basically a bunch of veggies, chopped up small, turmeric and spices.   It’s good!

Pad Thai – I used a boxed sauce for this – which wasn’t good at all.  But I really enjoyed a stir-fry with rice noodles – so I’ll have to try this sans’ said boxed sauce!  Anyone have any good Pad Thai recipes?

Another thing that I have been loving that you probably have NEVER seen on this blog.

Iced coffee  - but not just any iced coffee…

This is mushroom coffee – I know, it sounds gross.

The mushroom has lots of health benefits – although I’ve read lately that this coffee has minimal traces of the mushroom in it.  But I still enjoy it sometimes!  I’m not much of  a coffee drinker, but on a hot day, I love some ice cold almond milk and coffee!  

 

Lastly, I must introduce you to the newest love of my life!

The other day on twitter – I mentioned that I LOVE chocolate, but truly miss MILK chocolate.

Char tweeted back immediately and told me about these gems. I went to the health food store to see if they had them, and sure enough, they were a brand new item.

Chocolate made with RICE MILK!  Brilliant.  They are amazing! I loved the one with almonds – it was my fav (and Char’s too!), but the truffle centre one was awesome too!  These are seriously the answer to my prayers.  They seem a little expensive $3.75 each – but worth every penny.

I wasn’t given anything for this review – this is strictly all me! I paid for them out of my own pocket!

They seem like they would melt well too!!

Question of the day – Have you tried any “milk” chocolates that you like?  (dairy free of course).

Have a great Wednesday – I’m hoping the weather gets nicer so I can take the boy I am working with to the market!  (It’s not looking good yet).