Paleo Coconut Lemon Bars

I have been really into lemon these days. Just can't get enough of the stuff!

I tend to go through food phases- not unlike every other person on this world, correct? Another obsession being mustard. 

Any kind, straight from the bottle. 

I just can't help myself when left alone with a bottle of the stuff...this is not weird.

My (mostly) Paleo experiments these days have been pretty successful, which is exciting, and it hasn't been nearly as scary or difficult as I thought it would be to be creative and somewhat inventive! I've actually had a lot of fun with it!

So I made these paleo lemon bars today to satisfy a fierce lemon dessert desire.

They are a little different than the traditional lemon bar, in that the crust isn't your typical shortbread crust. It's more heavy, because it's made with almonds. It also has a slight coconut taste because of the coconut oil...so if you despise coconut, you probably wont really like these.

I halved my recipe, but this is the full 8x12" pan version.

Paleo Coconut Lemon Bars

adapted from Civlized Caveman Cooking

Filling:

6 whole eggs

1/2 cup raw, organic honey

1/2 cup coconut oil

1 cup lemon juice 

Unsweetened shredded coconut (for topping, but optional)

Crust:

Pre-heat oven to 400.

2 cups raw almonds

1/4 cup raw, organic honey

1/2 cup melted coconut oil

2 organic eggs

For the filling:

Whisk together eggs, honey and lemon juice in a pan. Add in coconut oil and turn heat up to medium high and whisk constantly until filling is thickened and bubbling.

Pour mixture into a bowl and refrigerate until the crust is done and cooled completely.

For the crust:

Place almonds in a food processor and grind until they are small chunks. You do not want them in a powder.

Melt coconut oil, and mix honey and eggs with oil.

Stir in almonds.

Pour mixture into greased pan. (I greased mine with coconut oil)

Bake for 15-18 minutes.

Allow crust to cool completely before pouring filling on top, and sprinkling with coconut.

Place in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before cutting.

Enjoy!

Cashew Chocolate Whipped Cream!

So, I don't want to disappoint anyone...but I've kinda done a diet revamp. 

Cake is wonderful, and I still eat it, but something has sort of clicked in me lately that has made me think more seriously about the food I am putting into my body. 

I have heard the 'all things in moderation' phrase a bazillion times, and to an extent, i agree. BUT, everytime we tell ourselves we can eat that processed, hydrogenated fat, artificial flavor laden thing  juust  this one time, it adds up to being NOT just this one time. It adds up to hundreds of times, which in turn, affect our health in the long term.

Obviously, I am no doctor or scientist.

But, I do believe we have the gift of technology and a wealth of information around us which makes life a whole lot easier to learn and become knowledgeable about the world we live in and our amazing bodies we have been given!

That being said, I encourage you to look into ways we can combat sickness and disease through the food we eat! I have been blown away by all the things I thought were healthy for me, and come to find out- its all garbage. Just another ploy for companies too make money off of us consumers.

I'm also trying to get better at shopping for  as cheap as possible while buying as much organic, unprocessed food as possible. Any tips? Sadly, theres no such thing as coupons for fresh produce, cheese and meat. That annoys me!

So, even though I am making some drastic changes in my diet, I don't want to ever give up my sweets. I love them, they love me. We're in love. 

Im just figuring out how to healthify things and make them more nutritious so I'm not just loading up on empty carbs and sugar.

Have you ever had Cashew whipped cream? I know it's huge in vegan land, and I've wanted to do it for awhile now, so today was the pretty exciting day that I actually DID it!

Its really good.

I don't think I would call it whipped cream, more like a mousse. But a little lighter than a mousse.

Whatever, it's chocolate, sweet and made from cashews and coconut oil. Delicious and MUCH better for you than Cool Whip. I'm sure the ingredients in cool whip can be tweaked in a way to make building material strong enough to withstand nuclear war.

This is a multiple step process. So don't be thinking you can just pop out the food processor and whip it together. 

Patience, my friend!

I did play by play pictures to hopefully help you with this multiple step process; I realize they are horrible and gross. Apologies.

Cashew Chocolate Whipped Cream

adapted from Magic Jelly

For the cream:

1 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight 

2 Cups filtered water

2 Tbsp. organic,  coconut oil

2 tsp. organic, raw sugar

1/4 tsp salt

For Whipping it:

 1/4 cup organic confectioners sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

4 Tbsp. Vegan margarine

1/2 cup Enjoy Life semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 Tbsp non-hydrogenated shortening or coconut oil (for melting)

Drain and rinse the cashews. Place in your food processor with 1 cup of the water and blend for 1 minute, so you have a thick paste. It will probably be a bit grainy still.

Pour cashew paste and remaining cup of water in a medium sauce pan, and heat through.

Add coconut oil, sugar and salt and stir constantly for 5-10 minutes until it is thickened and gently bubbling.

Allow to simmer 5-10 minutes- don't stop stirring this whole time!

Take off the heat and return to food processor (I used my Ninja, the thing is amazing!), and puree for 3-5 minutes. Once your mixture is completely smooth, pour into a bowl and refrigerate until completely cool.

Once completely cool, pour your mixture into a mixing bowl along with confectioners sugar and vanilla.

Beat with whisk attachment on high for about 1 minute.

In a separate bowl an electric whisk, beat the margarine until pale and fluffy. Add to cashew mixture. Beat the two together for 2 minutes on high. Soft peaks with develop if all is done correctly!

Melt Chocolate chips at 2, 25 second intervals, stirring well in between.

Pour chocolate into your 'cream' mixture and whip it on high for another minute or two.

(action shot, and darned flash went off)

Pour final mixture into a pretty little bowl, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes to firm it up.

Me and my daughter LOVED this.

I hope you enjoy it and I would love to hear about any other variations I could do!

Notes: 

-You can add more confectioners sugar if you want more sweetness. I'm sure you can sweeten with dates, too, I'm just not sure how to. This is all very new to me!

-This cream is a little on the soft side. For a thicker cream, the cashew to water ratio should be 1:1.

-If you don't want chocolate cream, omit chocolate chips.

-You can also do this with almonds!

-If you didnt think ahead of time to soak the nuts over night you can also place them in a saucepan with water and bring to simmer. Turn off heat and allow to cool completely.

-Fantastic with strawberries, bananas, and pretty much anything you can think of. Our favorite was spoon to mouth.

Gingerbread Muffins

I just love gingerbread and gingersnaps. But I despise ginger. Make sense?

Yesterday the craving for gingerbread with whipped cream came upon me...I happened to have some molasses on hand and whipped cream! It was fate.

Instead of doing my regular gingerbread cake type thing that I normally make, I thought muffins would be a good idea. Why, you ask? Cause muffins are very cute.

You will love this gingerbread recipe- It has a lot of flavor, and calls for a whole cup of molasses, which I adore. Molasses is wonderful.

Gingerbread Muffins
Yield: 16- 18 muffins

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup molasses
2 1/2 cups AP flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 cup very hot water

Pre-heat oven to 350.
Grease a muffin tin.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and sugar together until smooth and creamy.
Scrape down sides of the bowl and add in egg, mix well and slowly pour in molasses.
All at once add flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger.
Mix everything together. 
Pour in water and mix on low until well combined.
Evenly divide the batter into the muffin tin, filling about 3/4.

Bake for 16-20 minutes, Or until the top gently springs back when you touch them.

Top with whipped cream and ground cinnamon for decor.

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Roll Fried Dough Balls

I have always been afraid of frying things for whatever reason... I think cause it just seemed scary working with hot oil and stuff. But now that I have done it a few times and have the hang of it I want to fry everything and can't stop thinking about different things to try frying.

These were an experiment yesterday that turned out quite fabulously! My uncle and husband were working at our house when I fed these to them, and they were both RAVING about them. I won't lie, they were pretty tasty.

And by pretty tasty, I mean amazing! And SO so easy!
They would be perfect for breakfast. Who doesn't love fried cinnamon sugar things for breakfast?

Cinnamon Roll Fried Dough Balls
Yield:12

1 cup AP flour
1/8 tsp. baking soda
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 TBSP. butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
Oil- For frying

Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together.
Cut butter into chunks and keep cutting with a pastry cutter until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Add buttermilk and mix just until combined. You may need to add a bit more buttermilk- the dough should be pretty moist.
Turn dough out onto a floured surface, and need 5 times.
Press into a 1/2" disc with your hands...NOT a rolling pin.
Moisten surface of dough with water using your hands so the cinnamon and sugar will stick well.

Cinnamon sugar filling:
(these are approximate measurements cause I didn't actually measure)

1/4-1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Liberally sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture all over surface of the dough. I used all mine...Basically the more you use, the yummier these things will be!
Tightly roll up dough and slice into 1/2" slices.
With your hand, press down on each disc so it doesn't fall apart when you pick it up to dry it.

Heat oil to around 375.
Drop 3-4 dough balls/sices in at a time and fry until golden brown on each side.

Glaze:
2 Tbsp. melted butter
2 Cups powered sugar
3 Tbsp. milk (more may be needed)

While they're still warm, glaze with a generous amount of glaze and eat!

Toasted Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ugh, I know. Chocolate chip cookies. How much more boring can we get?!?!

I feel ya.

In my world, people that make chocolate chip cookies and brownies are missing out on the joy of all the amazingness of the millions of amazing wonderful, delicious, creative cookies and and bars that there are to experience in life.

Buuuut, sometimes, you don't feel like being creative or crazy.

And a classic cookie makes you happy.

Today, that's what I was feeling- except when you throw in the toasted pecans it really takes these cookies to the next level! We had some friends over today that were absolutely raving about these! 

And I kill myself to come up with crazy concotions................why???

These  cookies are soft, chewy and loaded to the max with chocolate and chunks- everything a cookie ought to be. Trust me.

Toasted Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1 cup softened butter
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups toasted pecans, chopped
• 3 cups chocolate chunks/chips
• 2 1/2 cups AP flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt

In an electric mixer, beat together butter and sugars for one minute on high.

Add in vanilla and eggs, mixing well.

Add in flour, baking soda and salt all at once, mixing just until combined. 

Mix in pecans and chocolate chips/chunk, just until combined.

Form small golf ball sized cookie dough balls with your hands and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 12 minutes.

Let cool for 2 minutes then remove from cookie sheet to a wire cooling rack.

EAT.

Mini Pecan Pie Chocolate Chip Muffins

WARNING: Don't be deceived by this super boring looking picture!!!!

These are anything but! Like pecan pie? You will swoon for these!

I saw these last week on Tasty Kitchen, and loved their simplicity. But of course I had to add chocolate....just a little. Chocolate + pecans = <3

6 ingredients.

One bowl.

A mini muffin pan.

That is all! You won't even believe how amazing these are and how they taste just like a mini pecan pie!!!

Also, I have this thing against corn syrup, and you can't pay me enough to touch the stuff.
These have none of it!

Amen!

Eat them warm out of the oven, please, and thank me later.

Mini Pecan Pie Chocolate Chip Muffins
Adapted from cindydlynn atTasty Kitchen
Yield: 32 mini muffins

Pre-heat oven to 350.

1 Cup chopped pecans
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 -1 cup chocolate chips

Mix together pecans, brown sugar and flour.
In an electric mixer, beat eggs with melted butter on high for 1 minute.
Pour n pecan/sugar/flour mixture.
Mix until combined, and add in chocolate chips.
Grease your muffin tin very well.
Fill each muffin mold 2/3.
Bake for 15 minutes.

Allow to sit in pan for 5 minutes before gently removing with a butter knife.
Eat!

Soft Pumpkin Pudding Cookies

I can't even tell you all how excited I am about these cookies.
Finding a pumpkin cookie recipe that is soft and chewy, not cakey, is basically impossible.

Until now!!!

This morning I had a baking spree (rainy days call for these sorts of things), and the idea hit me like a big DUH. Why don't I make a pudding cookie, and use the 14 boxes of pumpkin pudding in my cupboard for the pumpkin flavor?! Makes sense, right?!?!

Oh my gosh you guys....

Today, I win at life...Or at least cookie making.

Soft Pumpkin Pudding Cookies
1 Cup butter, softened
1 Cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
2 packages (3.4 oz) pumpkin spice instant pudding mix
4 cups AP flour
4 tsp. baking powder
4 tsp. pumpkin pie pice
2 tsp. cinnamon

1 Cup sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Pre-heat oven to 350.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter, oil and both sugars together on high for 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy.
Add in eggs, vanilla and pudding, and beat for another minute.
Add in the flour, baking powder and spices and mix until combined.

In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon.
Scoop heaping tablespoon sized balls of dough and roll in your hands.
Cover completetly in cinnamon sugar mixture.
Place on an ungreased cookie sheet 2 inches apart.
Bake for 10 minutes.

Lett cool for 2 minutes before removing to a plate.
Enjoy!

Banana Bread Bars with Browned Butter Icing

My husband and daughter love bananas.
Although I don't hate them, they're definitely not my fruit of choice...I would go for watermelon or mango over banana any day!
But I do love me a good banana bread...Sometimes, though, you need something different to do with all your almost rotten bananas.
Try these bars. I LOVED them! The browned butter frosting and heath chips kick it up a notch....and they're not too sweet, either, for those of you that have something against sweet things.

Banana Bread Bars
3/4 cup sugar
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 egg
2 large very ripe bananas
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 cup AP flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup heath milk chocolate bits (In the baking aisle)

Grease a 9x13" pan and pre-heat your oven to 375.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together first four ingredients until smooth and creamy.
Add in bananas and vanilla, mixing for 1 minute on medium- high.
All at once add flour, baking soda,  salt and heath bits, and mix on medium- high for another minute.
Spread into prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
Cool slightly for a few minutes and make your browned butter frosting.


Browned Butter Frosting:
1/4 cup butter
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2-3 Tbsp. cream

In a medium sauce pan, melt butter over low-medium heat until it is boiling and a delicate brown color.
Remove from the heat and immedeately add the rest of the ingredients.
Mix very well. You want it to be thicker than a glaze, but thinner than a frosting. Add more cream if needed.
Pour over bars and spread so it's smooth.

Enjoy warm, cold or room temperature- you can't go wrong!

Lemon Glazed Pound Cake Donuts

I'm on a donut kick, so be prepared for lots of donuts. They are all going to be yummy, un-fried, and they won't taste like the usual dry, cake-y regular baked donuts. Those are gross.
These donuts I will be sharing with you are moist, full of flavor and are as close as you can get to a fried donut say from dunkin donuts or your local bakery without frying!

You're welcome!

Lemon Glazed Pound Cake Donuts
Yield:16 Donuts (You can easily halve this recipe, too)
Pre-heat oven to 300

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, softened
1, 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
3 cups sugar
6 eggs
3 cups AP flour
1/8 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. vanilla

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter, cream cheese and sugar together on medium high for a couple minutes until very light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl frequently.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating very well after each one.
Shut off mixer, and add in flour, salt and vanilla all at once.
Mix on low just until combined.

Fill a ziploc bag with donut batter and snip off about a half inch corner.

In a greased and floured donut pan, squeeze batter so each donut compartment (?) is filled to the top, but not over the top!

Bake for 25-30 minutes, til a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Allow to cool for a few minutes before dumping out onto a cooling rack.

Allow to cool for another 10 minutes before dunking in glaze.

Lemon Glaze:
2 Cups powdered Sugar,
1/4-1/2 Cup lemon juice

Add lemon lemon juice to confectioners sugar until you have a good dipping consistency.
Dunk donuts in glaze, flipping around several times with a fork before removing back to cooking rack.

Allow glaze to harden. If desired, add more confectioners sugar to your extra glaze, and add a decorative drizzle over each of your donuts.

Enjoy- these are so so so so good and actually yummier the next day!

Pumpkin Pie Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

It's a mouthful of a name. But It's also the best pumpkin coffee cake I ever had....and yes, I am back with the pumpkin- it's been too long!

This recipe is the perfect marriage of coffee cake and pumpkin pie. It is truly amazing...

Pumpkin Pie Coffee Cake

Pre-heat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13" pan.

-Cake Layer:
1/2 Cup butter
1/2 sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

-1 Bag Chocolate Chips

-Pumpkin Pie Filling:
1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree (1 1/2 Cups)
3 eggs
2/3 cup milk
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger


Crumb Topping:
1/2 cup cold butter
1 1/2 cups AP flour
1/2 brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger


Making the cake batter:
In an electric mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.
Add in eggs and vanilla, mix until well combined.
Add in dry ingredients, mixing just until combined.
Spread into prepared pan.
Pour whole bag of chocolate chips over batter layer.

Making Pumpkin Pie Layer:
Rinse out the bowl you used to make batter, and mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, milk, brown sugar and spices.
Mix very well until smooth and completely combined.
Pour over chocolate chip layer.
Rinse out the bowl again/give a quick wash.

Making the Crumb topping:
With whisk attachment on your mixer, mix butter, flour, sugar, baking powder and spies together on medium-high until crumbly.
Sprinkle evenly over pumpkin pie layer.

Bake for 45-55 minutes, until golden brown.
Cool before slicing.

Eat for breakfast, dessert, or a snack, plain or with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream!

ENJOY!

Banana Nut Cream Cheese Stuffed Muffins

I loooove to bake on rainy days. It's one of my favorite things to do, and today, I had a lot of it to do! Well, not that much... but when you have a baby that needs her mommy cause she's about to pop another tooth and all she wants to do is snuggle, and then you also have a couple loads of laundry to fold and put away, neverending dishes to wash, and regular house cleaning stuff....it
seemed a little overwhelming this morning.


Me and my mom are working on a cookbook, so I had a couple recipes to test out and bake for that, but I also had a few banana's that were well past their glory days. Like so ripe, they were almost rotten.


The same old banana bread routine bores me and I had some cream cheese to use up and the combination of bananas and cream cheese sounded perfect to me!


These muffins were indeed perfect. I had one right out of the oven and it was amazing...I love eating things that have surprises in the middle.

Banana Nut Cream Cheese Stuffed Muffins
Pre-heat oven to 375. Grease a standard 12 cup muffin pan.


Muffin Batter:
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 very ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup oil
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla 
1 cup chopped pecans, divided


Filling:
4 oz. cream cheese
1/4 Cup sugar



For the filling:
With an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese and sugar on high til smooth and creamy and well combined. Line a deep bowl or cup with a ziploc bag and fill with filling.



For the muffins:
In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugars.
In a small separate bowl, mash bananas very well. Add buttermilk, oil eggs and vanilla, and mix well.
Add wet ingredients to dry, add in /2 cup pecans and mix just until combined.
Drop 1-2 tablespoons batter in muffin pan, enough to cover the bottom of each cup.


Snip off a good size corner (about 1/2") of your bag with filling and squeeze about a tablespoon of the filling onto first layer of muffin batter.

Cover with the filling with batter, filling up the muffin cups almost all the way.
Top with remaining pecans.

Bake 20-22 minutes til golden brown.
Let cool in pan for 5 minutes before trying to gently remove with a butter knife.

Makes 12-16 muffins.

Enjoy!