Chocolate Covered Stuffed Dates

Here’s a quick and easy idea to satisfy your sweet tooth or give you a little energy boost.  Instead of reaching for another coffee, pop or energy drink try one of these.  If you don’t want take the extra time and add the chocolate they are just as tasty without it.

These little gems contain quite a bit of nutritional goodness.  Fibre, B-vitamins, potassium, Vitamins A, K and magnesium to name a few.  Just remember though they should be enjoyed in moderation as they are a fruit and contain quite a bit of natural sugar in their small little packages.  I usually wait till these chill for a bit in the freezer and then slice them in a few pieces, so you’re not eating a whole one each time.

Chocolate Covered Stuffed Dates

• Medjool Dates – pitted
• Natural almond butter (or nut butter of choice)
• 70% dark chocolate
• sea salt

Melt chocolate in a double boiler.  Slice the dates in half being careful not to go all the way through.  You should be able to open them like a book.  Fill with nut butter and close the date.  Dip in the melted chocolate and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Sprinkle with sea salt.  Put in the freezer till slightly chilled and slice each date.   Return to freezer to store.

The dates aren’t very photogenic but they make up for it in taste.

~~ Jackie

Dark Chocolate Crispy Rice Treats

Hi everyone.  What fun and interesting activities did you partake in this weekend?  We celebrated our friends 50th birthday this weekend at a fancy dinner in Citadel Hill.  I’ve lived here my entire life and had no idea they held functions there.  It was a great evening with great food, and great people. 

Here’s a quick and easy treat for you courtesy of one of the PC Cooking school classes I went to.  It’s a different take on Rice Krispie treats.

DARK CHOCOLATE CRISPY RICE TREATS

• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup brown rice syrup
• 3/4 cup smooth almond butter
• 1/2 chopped dark chocolate (70%)
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 cups krispy rice cereal

 

    

Grease 9 1/2 x 11 pan and line with parchment paper.  Heat brown rice syrup and maple syrup to a boil. Remove from heat, add almond butter, chocolate, butter and salt.  Stir till chocolate melts  Pour over cereal and mix well.  Pack mixture firmly into prepared pan.  Chill for an hour in the fridge or about 15 minutes or so in the freezer.  Lift out of the pan and cut in squares.  These are best stored in the fridge.

Have a good week.  Fingers crossed we’ll see some sun.

~ Jackie

Homemade Hazelnut Spread–aka Nutella

 

It always amazes me how quickly the weekends go by, and how my workdays seem to drag on forever.  I’ve said it before, but I would love to know who came up with the idea of a 5 day work week and 2 day weekend…. seriously what were you thinking!?

 

I’m sure many of you have had a jar of Nutella in your cupboards at one time or another.  I’ve had the odd jar of Nutella here and there but it was never a staple in my diet.  When I started seeing their commercials about how nutritious it is and how you should start your kids day off with a breakfast that includes Nutella I was skeptical.  I had never looked at the ingredients so the next time I was at the grocery store I checked.  Yes it does have hazelnuts, skim milk powder and cocoa but surprise they left a few out and guess what the first ingredient on the list is….. SUGAR !  This sugar would be processed white sugar of course. Then we have modified palm oil, whey powder, lecithin and vanillin.

PALM OIL – is not the same as coconut oil which is cold pressed and minimally processed.  Palm oil uses solvents in their processing.

LECITHIN –  When obtained from natural sources, Non GMO Soy (plant source) and Eggs (animal source) they are a good thing.  Lecithin contains choline which is a micronutrient the body requires and is important for heart health and brain development.  The problem is the lecithin used in processed foods is almost always derived from soybeans which are most likely genetically modified unless stated otherwise. The lecithin is extracted from the soy beans either mechanically or chemically using hexane (a solvent made from crude oil).

VANILLIN – Synthetic vanilla flavouring.  Today, most of the synthetic vanillin comes from various processes using guaiacol. It is derived from wood creosote (a yellowish, greasy liquid.)

So if you’d prefer to avoid these things you can make your own hazelnut spread. 

Hazelnut Spread

• 1 cup raw hazelnuts
• 2 tsp pure vanilla
• 3 tbsp cacao powder
• 4 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/8 tsp fine grind sea salt
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 cup milk (almond, hazelnut, milk any will work)

In a food processor or high speed blender process nuts till they start to form a paste.  You may have to scrape down the sides.  Add coconut oil and process till it starts getting smooth.  Add remaining ingredients.  Add milk in increments and process till it reaches the desired consistency.

That’s all there is to it. 

 

Even though all of the ingredients are natural you should think of it as treat not an everyday staple in your diet.

Have a good week!

~Jackie

Cinnamon Walnut Granola

Here we are again, it's the weekend.  The work week was pretty standard, busy as always and I felt like I was coming down with something all week but nothing became of it so I'm happy about that.  I still have some money left on my benefits so I thought I would schedule myself for a massage unfortunately my regular massage therapist was unavailable so I tried a new one. I wasn't really a fan, but I'm quite picky when it comes to massage therapists. I also tried a new Acupuncturist, she was quite good and her office is close to home so I'll be going back.

Now on to the yummy granola.  I'll warn you now this stuff is addictive!!  It is also Tom approved.  He tried it last night and his comment was "this is good but there's one problem.....you didn't make enough.". Looks like I'll be making some more today.

I saw a recipe like this on line but have no idea where I saw it so I tried to go by memory.  If this looks like your recipe please leave a comment so I can link back to it.

Cinnamon Walnut Granola (with rum soaked dried fruit)
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup buckwheat groats
3/4 cups chopped walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup shredded coconut (I used sweetened)
1 tbsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
raisins, goji berries, currants (Approximate measurements- handful of raisins, 2 tbsp goji berries, 1 tbsp currants)
1/2 cup rough chopped pitted medjool dates
1/3 cup + 1 tbsp maple syrup, warmed
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tbsp warm water
2 tbsp coconut oil melted (you could use light EVOO too)
1/2 tsp sea salt

Soaking liquid for dried fruit - I'm not a fan of raisins so whenever I use them in a recipe I soak them.  My liquid of choice is a little hot water and spiced rum or dark rum.  Add liquid to just cover fruit, and soak till soft.  Drain well.  Depending on your recipe or you taste you can use just plain water, apple juice, orange juice, some amaretto the possibilities are endless.

Preheat oven to 300
In a large bowl combine oats, buckwheat groats, walnuts and cinnamon and nutmeg.
Add dates, maple syrup, vanilla, water, oil and salt to blender.  Blend till smooth.
Add to dry ingredients and mix till well combined.
Spread evenly on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake about 30 mins or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.  In the last 10 mins of cooking add the soaked and drained dried fruit.

Enjoy... don't say I didn't warn you it's addictive.

~Jackie