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Two Ingredient Dark Chocolate Cashew Bark

Cashew 5

This dark chocolate cashew bark is so pretty and scrumptious, and it has just two ingredients!

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This is how it looks before you cut it up into pieces. This would make a beautiful gift in a clear bag with pretty ribbon packaged whole.

This is the time of year for food gift giving, most people love to get food gifts, and homemade is even better because it has love in it!

Toasting the raw cashews brings out their flavor more and turns them lightly golden brown.

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I used Organic Gluten Free Guittard dark chocolate baking wafers and Raw Cashew to make this bark. That’s it……..simple and good. I like to get my nuts from nuts.com They have a large selection of gluten free nuts and dried fruit, and the nuts are always very fresh.

Two Ingredients Dark Chocolate Cashew Bark

Ingredients:

1 Cup of Guittard Dark Chocolate Baking Wafers

1/3 Cup of Raw Whole Cashews

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lay the cashews on a small baking sheet in a single layer, and toast them in the preheated oven for 7 to 10 minutes until they are just turning a golden brown. Remove them from the oven and set aside.

Lay out another small cookie sheet, and line it with parchment paper.

In a small saucepan, bring an inch and a half of water to a full boil. Then turn it down to a simmer. Put 1 Cup of dark chocolate baking wafers into a small stainless steel mixing bowl that will fit inside the saucepan but not touch the water. Place the stainless bowl with the chocolate into the pan with the simmering water (you have just created a double boiler), and stir slowly and constantly until the chocolate is completely melted and creamy.

Scrape the melted chocolate out of the bowl right onto parchment lined cookie sheet and pick up the pan to swirl the chocolate until it is about a 1/4″ thick layer. Now, take the toasted cashews, and sprinkle them evenly over the melted chocolate.

You can set the pan aside at room temperature to harden for 24 hours, or for quicker results, refrigerate it for an hour and a half.

When your chocolate has set, take a large cutting knife, and cut it into pieces.

Store the cashew bark in a sealed container at room temperature, or keep it in the refrigerator. You can also store it whole, and gift it whole, or broken into pieces.

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Enjoy and Gift this homemade bark with Love added as the extra ingredient!

Two Ingredient Dark Chocolate Cashew Bark Gluten Free and Easy Gifts to Give

Gluten Free Mini Pumpkin Loaf with Quinoa Flour

Hello November!

pumpkin 1

It’s been awhile since my last post, but I have still been in the kitchen developing new recipes to share. My schedule is very busy this Fall, but I am sitting down today with a cup of coffee and am determined to get this delicious Pumpkin Bread recipe to you all.

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As my regulars know, I have been on a food elimination diet for some time due to food sensitivities, joint pain, rashes and reoccurring SIBO. It is important to work with a doctor who specializes in these health challenges to help you figure out how to approach healing. I have been able to figure out which foods I am reacting too and don’t work for my body and also make lifestyle changes, including more self care. No more rashes, joint pain, fatigue and tummy troubles. I have introduced and have been using Quinoa in my baking and cooking now regularly. Quinoa is actually what is called a pseudo cereal grain and it in fact a seed.

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Quinoa flour is absolutely delicious in this Pumpkin Bread recipe! It is a gluten free baking resource that has a nice nutrition profile with protein, fiber and these vitamins and minerals:

Manganese. Found in high amounts in whole grains, this trace mineral is essential for metabolism, growth, and development
Phosphorus. Often found in protein-rich foods, this mineral is essential for bone health and maintenance of various body tissues
Copper. A mineral that is often lacking in the Western diet, copper is important for heart health
Folate. One of the B vitamins, folate is essential for cell function and tissue growth and considered particularly important for pregnant women
Iron. This essential mineral performs many important functions in your body, such as transporting oxygen in red blood cells.
Magnesium. Important for many processes in your body, magnesium is often lacking in our diet
Zinc. This mineral is important for overall health and participates in many chemical reactions in your body

I’ve been whipping up these mini Pumpkin Loaves for a few months now and still get the urge to make more when it’s gone. Don’t you love how cute a mini loaf is? They are good gifts too! This is the size mini loaf pan you will need for this loaf. It is 5.75″ x 3 1/4″ x 2.25″ and works perfectly for a nice domed loaf.

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Here’s the recipe! I use maple sugar to sweeten the bread, but you can swap it out for any sugar such as organic cane, coconut, or date. I like the maple taste in this bread.

Gluten Free Mini Pumpkin Loaf with Quinoa Flour

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Ingredients:

3/4 Cups of Quinoa Flour

1/4 Teaspoon of Baking Soda

1/8 Teaspoon of Baking Powder (corn free here)

3/4 Teaspoons of Pumpkin Pie Spice (I use Primal Palate)

1/4 Teaspoon of Sea Sale or Pink Salt

1/2 Cup of Canned Pumpkin Puree

1 Egg

1/4 Cup of Olive Oil or Avocado Oil

6 Tablespoons of Maple Sugar

Directions:

Cream together the maple sugar and oil. Then, add the egg and beat well until creamy. Add the pumpkin puree and beat. Sift together the dry ingredients, then add to the wet and beat until smooth.

Pour the batter into your greased mini pan, and bake for 25 to 35 minutes until the bread springs back to the touch and is baked through. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to completely cool.

Enjoy!

Gluten Free Mini Pumpkin Loaf with Quinoa Flour and Maple Sugar

*This post has affiliate links in it. I receive a very small commission if you purchase through my links. The small commission helps cover the cost of maintaining this blog.

Chocolate Mint Nut Milk

Chocolate Mint Nut Milk 2

I came up with this recipe with a dairy free creamer to go in my coffee in mind. It is creamy and tastes great for making peppermint mocha’s, but it’s also delicious all by itself.

Chocolate Mint Nut Milk 3

Nut milks are simple to make. You just need a nut milk bag or a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth. Nut milk bags are inexpensive, and I prefer them over a strainer lined with cheesecloth, but you can go that route too. You can get a three pack for just under $9. on Amazon.

Chocolate Mint Nut Milk

Ingredients:

1 Cup of Raw Pecans

4 Cups of Water for Soaking (This will be discarded later)

3 Cups of Cold Water

1/4 Cup of Cocoa Powder

2 Tablespoons of Raw Honey

1 Tablespoon of Vanilla Extract

1/4 Teaspoon of Peppermint Extract

a pinch of Sea Salt

Directions:

Place your pecans in a bowl and cover them with 4 cups of water. Let the nuts soak overnight for 8 to 12 hours. The longer they soak, the creamier your milk will be. This plumps up and softens the nuts for a creamy non-gritty milk.

After the nuts have soaked, dump them into a strainer and rinse them with fresh water.

Add the rinsed nuts and 3 cups of fresh cold water, cocoa powder, honey, vanilla, peppermint extract and sea salt to a high speed blender, and blend for three minutes.

Pour the nut milk into your nut milk bag over a large bowl. Gently squeeze the bag to strain out the milk into the bowl. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 5 days.

Chocolate Mint Nut Milk Gluten and Dairy Free

Chocolate Chocolate Cookies with Quinoa and Banana Flour

Chocolate Chocolate Cookies 4

I created this new cookie recipe to be nut free, gluten free, dairy free and gum free and it uses just two flours, Quinoa and Banana. These two combined I find make a nice cookie.

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These cookies taste chocolately delicious, and are sweetened with natural maple sugar.

Chocolate Chocolate Cookies 1

I usually freeze them after I make them because, 1. It keeps them fresh longer and 2. It helps resist temptation to eat too many at once. But, I have to say, they are good right out of the freezer, so that doesn’t always work well. 🙂

Chocolate Chocolate Cookies 2

This recipe makes a dozen cookies. I don’t think there is ever a time of year when chocolate isn’t on the list of cookie flavor favorites. But, they are especially cozy when the weather gets cooler and you can grab a hot cup of something to go with them curled up with a blanket and a good book.

Here’s the recipe.

Chocolate Chocolate Cookies with Quinoa and Banana Flour

1/4 Cup of Banana Flour

1/4 Cup of Quinoa Flour

1/4 Cup of Cacao Powder

1/4 Cup of Olive Oil

1 Egg

1/4 Cup of Maple Sugar

1/3 Cup of Chocolate Chips

1/4 Teaspoon of Baking Soda

1/8 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

1/2 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a medium bowl, beat the olive oil and maple sugar together. Add the egg and beat for one minute. Add the quinoa flour, banana flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and vanilla and beat until creamy. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Scoop onto a parchment lined cookie sheet using a tablespoon cookie measure. Flatten the cookies with damp fingers. Bake in your preheated oven for 10 – 11 minutes. Remove from the oven, and cool on the cookie sheet.

Chocolate Chocolate Cookies Gluten, Dairy and Nut Free

*This post has affiliate links in it. I receive a very small commission if you purchase through my links. The small commission helps cover the cost of maintaining this blog.

Chopped Kale, Cranberry, and Pumpkin Seed Slaw!

Kale, Cranberry, Pumpkin Seed Slaw 2

This slaw is a twist on the traditional cole slaw with the Autumn flavors of cranberries and pumpkin seeds, and the added nutrition of Lacinato Kale!

Kale, Cranberry, Pumpkin Seed Slaw

Gosh I love Fall! It’s my favorite season! I love all the spices, warm drinks, cozy sweaters, autumn fruits and vegetables, crunchy leaves, pumpkin patches, pumpkins, Mums, Fall porch decorations, cozy corners with a good book and a quilt, jackets, boots…..Love- It – All! This slaw introduces some of the flavors of Fall without completely letting go of Summer yet IMO.

Autumn Picture Cozy Time

What’s your favorite part about Fall? Please share with me. 🙂

I think you will like the crunch of the pumpkin seeds and chewy cranberries in this slaw. Plus, it has a milder onion flavor with scallions (green onions). It can also be made ahead, which is always handy!

Ingredients

4 Cups of Shredded Green Cabbage

1 Cup of Finely Chopped Lacinato Kale

1/2 Cup of Shredded Carrot

1/2 Cup of Thinly Sliced Green Onion

1/2 Cup of Pumpkin Seeds (I like this sprouted kind)

1/2 Cup of Dried Cranberries, fruit sweetened

Mix all the slaw ingredients together, then make the dressing:

1/2 Cup of Primal Kitchen Garlic Aioli Mayonnaise (here)

1 Tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar

1 Tablespoon of Fresh Lemon Juice

1 Tablespoon of Honey

1/4 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

1/4 Teaspoon of Black Pepper

Whisk together the dressing ingredients, and fold into the slaw.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Chopped Kale, Cranberry and Pumpkin Seed Slaw, Gluten and Dairy Free

What’s In Season for August

What's In Season in August

August is a time of year when the fresh fruits and vegetables are at their peak! This is a great time to eat your fill of all the freshness the season has to offer and enjoy all the nutrient rich benefits of a large variety of colorful, fresh food.
I have put together a list for you to pin, share and inspire you!
How would you use some of these? Share with me in the comments and share this post with friends who love good food!

Blueberry, Dark Chocolate Chip, Pecan Quick Mug Muffin

Quick Muffin 6

Is there ever a season when we don’t need something quick in the kitchen? I don’t think so from my experience. Even in the Summer when the kids are out of school, the pace can be fast, and we have to purposefully carve out time to slow things down.

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Our time Up North is winding down, and it has been so fun, relaxing and refreshing. Lots of quality time, but I’m feeling tired. Because even a vacation, or even especially a vacation, can make you tired.

Quick Muffin 3

During the last few days, I am running out of time to bake, and also not replenishing things like muffins that I don’t want to take with me traveling home.

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So, I’ve made a new recipe for a quick 2 minute mug muffin. No big batch, just enough for two servings. Half for now, half for later, or to share all at once. It’s big enough for two.

This one has dried blueberries, pecans and dark chocolate chips in it, and I used a combination of Banana and Quinoa flour, and sweetened it healthfully with applesauce and maple syrup.

Quick Muffin Batter in Mug

Blueberry, Dark Chocolate Chip, Pecan Mug Muffin

You will need one 16 oz. Microwave Safe Mug

Ingredients:

1 Egg

1/4 Cup of No Sugar Added Applesauce

1/4 Cup of Quinoa Flour

2 Tablespoons of Banana Flour

1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons of Pure Maple Syrup

1/4 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

1/4 Teaspoon of Ground Cinnamon

1/8 Teaspoon of Baking Soda

A Pinch of Salt

1 Tablespoon of Dark Chocolate Chips

1 Tablespoon of Dried Blueberries

1 Tablespoon of Chopped Pecans

Directions:

Whisk together the egg, applesauce, maple syrup, olive oil and vanilla extract in a medium sized bowl. Add the remaining ingredients, except the chocolate chips, blueberries and chopped pecans. Whisk vigorously until smooth. Add a Tablespoon each of Dark Chocolate Chips, Blueberries and Chopped Pecans. Pour the batter into a 16 oz. microwave safe mug. (It should be half full). Sprinkle with additional chocolate chips, blueberries and pecans if desired.

Microwave on high for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes until cooked through and the muffin springs back to the touch. The first time you make this start at two minutes, and if needed go 30 seconds more. After that you will know your microwave time requirements for this muffin. Microwaves vary. This muffin Puffs Up Huge above the rim of the mug when microwaving. It will shrink back down level with the cup when it is cooled. There are no worries of it spilling over. Kids will enjoy watching this process, at least mine do. 🙂

Cool a little bit before eating this. It is good warm or cooled. 🙂

Serves 2

THISIS~1

The Health Benefits of Sweet Cherries

Health Benefits of Sweet Cherries

The cherries are in season, so now is a good time to enjoy them, freeze them at their peak to enjoy all winter and to reap the health benefits of this delicious stone fruit!

Let’s talk about the benefits of sweet cherries!

Some of my favorite benefits of cherries are the compounds that help improve sleep naturally (they contain natural melatonin). If you want the benefit of better sleep, have a serving an hour before bedtime.

Cherries also contain anti-inflammatory properties, and they inhibit oxidative stress. It is always a good idea to eat foods that decrease inflammation in our bodies that can lead to a variety of diseases and health problems, and oxidative stress leads to premature aging and puts you at a higher risk for cancer, neurodegenerative disease and diabetes.

The red color of the cherries is from Anthocyanins which are a class of antioxidants that research shows can benefit our bodies in several ways. Anthocyanins are anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-microbial and neuroprotective. Anthocyanins can rev up fat burning and decrease fat storage. The polyphenols in cherries are a boost to heart health and aid in exercise recovery.

As with any fruit, stick to reasonable serving sizes.

1 Cup of Sweet Cherries has 90 calories, 22 g of carbs and 17 grams of sugars.

Sweet Cherries are highly palatable and tasty just as they are. This stone fruit is a good source of vitamins, minerals and fiber, especially Vitamin C and Potassium. They are wonderful atop a salad, as a snack, chopped up and made into a salsa to go with a meal as a topping, in a breakfast bowl, in a homemade cherry bbq sauce, use them to make homemade popsicles or in broccoli salad. There are so many creative ways to use them as part of a healthy, well balanced diet and the benefits are worth your attention.

Photo by twinsfisch on Unsplash

Resistance to Healthy Eating Goals from Family and Friends

Don’t Let Family and Friend’s Resistance of Your Healthy Eating Goals Sabotage You.
I’ve been there. Change is hard no matter what it is. Humans do not like to be uncomfortable, and change disrupts the apple cart.
Psychological analysis of why someone you care about is so upset by what You choose to put in your mouth is written about a lot, but the truth is there is an array of reasons depending on the relationship.
What you eat and how it will make You feel about yourself, your energy, your health, your looks, your vitality, your pain, your future ultimately affects you!

Food is such a hot button, and it draws the lines between friends and family and cuts loose a slew of judgement and opinions on both sides.

So what are the facts?

Healthy Eating and choosing foods that support your body and well being will make you:

Less Bloated
Mentally Sharper
More Energetic
Leaner with more Muscle Mass
Create Healthier Cells Going Forward
Give You the best form of Whole Food Nutrients
A Better Chance of Dying of Old Age
Blood Sugar Regulation
Supportive of the Health of the Next Generation through example
Better Mood
Glowing Skin

I’m interested. What have you found to be the biggest challenge socially or with family that keeps you stuck eating food that really doesn’t serve you?

I always love to hear from you!

Sandra Shields, Health Coach

Chocolate Chip, Cranberry, Walnut Cookies (Grain Free)

Chocolate Chip, Cranberry Walnut Grain Free Cookies

I am super pumped about this cookie, because it is the real deal, and it uses Banana Flour!

It does not taste like bananas. It tastes like a legit white flour cookie, but it is a grain free, Paleo, maple sugar sweetened, gluten and dairy free cookie! It even spreads in the oven without having to press it with your palm! If you are not a recipe developer, this might not be significant to you, but trust me, it’s awesome!!!

We have had a lot of batches of this cookie version around, as I’ve been testing it repeatedly and tweaking the ingredients. This is the one!

Gluten and Grain Free Banana Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

Almond flour, coconut flour and other grain free flours are great for baking as well. But if you know me well enough, you know that my passion is writing recipes for food intolerances and those who want to eat healthier. Banana Flour isn’t something I have worked with before until now.

Grain Free Banana Flour Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies

This cookie has dark chocolate chips, dried fruit sweetened cranberries and brain benefiting walnuts in it. For a nut free cookie, just omit the walnuts and increase the chocolate chips and cranberries equally. There is olive oil in the recipe as well….a very Italian and healthy baking ingredient! It is good in cookies! I did a 50/50 split between it and organic shortening. Shortening gives it the mouth feel you crave and helps with spreading and browning evenly.

Chocolate Chip, Cranberry, Walnut Cookies Healthier Bakiing

This is the banana flour I have been using to test and make these cookies. It is GMO Free Gluten Free, Vegan, Paleo and contains only 100% bananas.

Chocolate Chip, Cranberry, Walnut Cookies Healthier Bakiing

Chocolate Chip, Cranberry, Walnut Cookies (Grain Free)

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Ingredients:

1 Egg

3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

3 Tablespoons of Organic Shortening (I use Spectrum)

6 Tablespoons of Pure Maple Sugar

1/2 Cup of Banana Flour

1/2 Teaspoon of Pure Vanilla Extract

1/4 Teaspoon of Baking Soda

1/4 Teaspoon of Cinnamon

1/8 Teaspoon of Nutmeg

1/8 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

1/3 Cup of Dark Chocolate Chips (I use Enjoy Life)

1/3 Cup of Dried Fruit Sweetened Cranberries

1/3 Cup of Walnuts (chopped)

Directions:

In a medium mixing bowl, with an electric hand mixer, beat together the olive oil, shortening and maple sugar until creamy. Add the egg and vanilla, and beat for one minute. Sift together the banana flour, sea salt, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg and stir it with a spatula into the wet mix until it is starting to incorporate. Then, beat it with an electric hand held mixer until incorporated and creamy. If you don’t stir it in with a spatula first, the banana flour is very light and will fly everywhere.

Fold in the chocolate chips, cranberries and walnuts with a spatula.

Banana Flour Cookie Dough

Scoop the dough into tablespoon mounds on two parchment lined cookie sheets. You should have 14 cookies.

Oven Ready Banana Flour Cookies

Bake in your preheated oven for 11 minutes, rotating the sheets half way through the baking (top to bottom and turning side to side). Cool for five minutes on the sheet, then remove to a wire rack to completely cool.

Enjoy!!!

Chocolate Chip, Cranberry, Walnut Grain Free Cookies, Dairy Free, Paleo, Gluten Free