Organic Espresso & Cream Cheese Brownies {inspired by Cafe Solstice}

I made these for my sister's birthday, inspired by her favorite brownies in Seattle, from Cafe Solstice.

you're welcome.

Ingredients:
4 Large ORGANIC eggs
1 cup organic raw sugar
1 cup organic brown sugar
3 tablespoons FINELY ground organic espresso beans
8 ounces ORGANIC butter {but coconut oil would have been a good substitute}
1 1/4 cups organic cocoa powder
2 teaspoons {homemade} vanilla extract
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt {we use pink Himalayan}

Mix, use oil to coat the inside of the dish, pour in brownie mixture, then add globs of cream cheese mixture and using a toothpick pull up and down then right to left to create marbled effect.

for the cream cheese mixture;
1 tub organic cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
splash vanilla extract
blend until smooth

Bake at 300* F for about 45 minutes {I used an 8x8 as directed in my base recipe, but since I added so much a 9x13in would have been better, just check on it earlier so you don't burn anything}

Happy Birthday Brittany!
-Jenn

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Almond Milk & Almond Pulp Cookie Recipes

3 cups soaked almonds {overnight, rinsed, strained} 

4 cups purified water 

Splash of vanilla

Puree. Pour through nut milk bag. Squeeze. Refrigerate. Drink.

{save the pulp in the bag for cookie recipe below}

3 cups Almond Pulp 

2 1/2 cups flour 

1 tsp salt 

1 tsp baking soda 

1 cup Organic Olive Oil 

1 cup Coconut Sugar 

1 cup Caco Nibs (sweetened) 

1/2 cup flax seed (ground)

Splash Vanilla Extract

optional additions/modifications: peanut butter, coconut butter, shredded coconut, chia seeds

Combine. Bake at 350* F for 7-10 minutes.

Happy Healthy Snacking!

-Jennifer

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Winter Cookies {photo documentation and a gift idea}

This past week we made sugar cookies.  It's a tradition I loved with my mom growing up and wanted to continue the creative process with my daughter.  Aunt Brittany helped with the baking and below you can follow along with the whole messy process...

Before Baking.

After Baking.

Waiting to be decorated until tomorrow.

The recipe above is what I used, but I think since I used almond milk instead of regular it prevented the frosting from fully mixing properly.  It has little white specs in it as you might notice below, I would use regular milk next time.

I have a few of these wonderful non-toxic sprinkles, that I've collected over the past few years.

*editor's note: Like anything else, it can be difficult to make a more environmentally responsible switch when the cost of the better product is so overwhelming.  Each one of these lovely sprinkles is about $5 and can be found here.  So, I made the switch slowly.  I kept all my old sprinkles, dyed with who-knows-what and as they ran out, I replaced them with these natural ones.  

It's the same advice I give to families who are considering cloth diapering.  You don't have to do it all at once!  It would be so overwhelming to make such a huge change, when you're already in a routine.  But, maybe, use cloth at night {less likely for baby to poop}.  Its the longest time period for the baby to have a chemical free bottom.  Then, as you get more comfortable integrate them in more frequently, you can add more cloth time and less disposable.  Keep your stash of disposables and use them when necessary.  Some environmental contentious change is better than none.  And It's the same for switching to a paperless kitchen.  You don't have to get rid of paper towels.  Keep a secret stash so you can clean up too gross of messes with those, or when your laundry didn't get done.  But, by slowly adding to your collection of cloth towels and using them instead of paper, you'll make progress.  And that's how it is with everything in our home.  We're making slow shifts in the way we shop as to not destroy our budget, but to allow for gradual environmental responsibility and overall health.  Hopefully, this extra information will allow for you to consider a similar path to Organic, Healthy, Environmentally friendly products.*

Note to self; I thought the parchment paper would help contain the mess.

It did not. 

Above: the finished cookies!

As for the cookie recipe itself, here's what I used...
1 1/2 cups softened butter
2 cups organic coconut or raw sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups organic whole wheat flour
2 1/2 cups organic white flour
1 teaspoon salt

bake at 400* F for 6-8 minutes.

I also made these for my nephews by cutting the above recipe in half and fitting into the larger ball jars.  I added a unique cookie cutter for each.  {I modified and added chocolate chips and brown sugar to the one on the left}

Happy Baking and Gift Giving!

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p.s. if you have a moment, I'd really appreciate your vote. Click the banner below and then the owl on the left. {No email required and no spam generated! promise}

Rename Food is now part of D.I.Y. Cupcake!

Who wants to look for blog posts on two different blogs?! Not me! 

So, I exported my Food blog and then imported it here!  now ALL my posts are in one place, when we cook something or bake something you can now find it here.  

Here are all my previous Vegetarian Recipes

& here are my Vegan ones.

oh, and desserts too...

Hope you enjoy this new addition to my blog!

More ways to follow along...

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Quinoa Flour Pie Crust (gluten free and anti candida)

1/3 cup avocado or organic olive oil (frozen)
1/3 cup ice water (freeze water 5-10 minutes before mixing)
3 cups quinoa flour
pinch or two of salt

mix with a fork until well combined.  roll out on {quinoa} floured surface until 1/4 inch thick. place crust into ceramic pie dish.  the pieces will break apart, just reassemble them in the dish and smooth out as best as possible.  I pre-baked for 10-15 minutes then filled with egg for a quiche like recipe, could be used for anything though, bake as directed for that recipe.

*will update with a pretty picture next time I make it. 

**UPDATE. I recently made this again and realized my previous measurements are slightly low. I added a few extra splashed of oil and maybe another 1/4-1/2 cup water to get the texture I wanted, I also mixed in some brown rice flour and coconut flour and reduced the quinoa flour keeping the same amount of total flour. Here's the result:

Banango Blackberry Smoothie

Banana + Mango = Banango!

What you'll need:

1/2 Organic mango, skinned and chunked

 2 bananas

1/2 bag of frozen blackberries, 

splash of organic rice milk.

What you'll do with it:

blend.

top with bee pollen {left} or mix it in.

drink.

Make 1 big smoothie or 2 small/medium sized ones {as pictured below}

Enjoy.

Brandy's Chocolate Fondue

This recipe is from my sister who utizilized it to sneak healthy food into her son's dessert.  I haven't had a chance to try it, but I thought you all might like to know about it!

Chocolate Fondue: 1 TBSP trans fat free soft tub margarine spread, 1/2 cut avocado puree, 1/4 cup carrot puree, 1 cup confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 tsp vanilla extract. Sliced fruit, berries, cherries, graham crackers for dipping.

Lactation Cookies

I'm sort of a messy cook.

What I used:

1 cup organic butter

1 cup organic raw sugar

1 cup firmly packed organic brown sugar

4 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons flax seed meal

2 organic free range eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups oats

1 cup chocolate chips

2 -4 tablespoons brewer's yeast

1/2 cup shredded coconut for topping

Coconut cooking spray!

Directions:Prep Time: 15 minsTotal Time: 27 mins

Preheat oven to 350°.
Mix the flaxseed meal and water and let sit for 3-5 minutes.

Beat butter, sugar, and brown sugar well. Add eggs and mix well. Add flaxseed mix and vanilla, beat well. Sift together flour, brewers yeast, baking soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients to butter mix. Stir in oats and chips.

Scoop onto baking sheet. Top with coconut. Bake for 12 minutes. Let set for a couple minutes then remove from tray.

original recipe here.

Happy baking and lactating.

p.s. my Husband ate a bunch of these, but hasn't started lactating so feel free to share with the family, if you want ;)

Granola Bars!

These guys were inspired by the recipe and blog here.

I used 2ish cups of a coconut almond granola (in the bulk section)
1/2 cup dried pineapple chunks
1/2 cup dried cranberries

4 tablespoons butter (but 2 would have been enough)
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F

Mix dry ingredients together.  Melt butter, honey, and brown sugar together in medium saucepan on low-ish heat.  Once melted mix the dry ingredients into the pan and mix well, then pour into parchment lined baking dish and bake for 30-35 minutes.

Let cool for 30 minutes, cut, but do not remove!  place in fridge and allow to set up.  once COOLED you can break them apart on their cut marks.

Ready for the road.

SO EASY!

Banana Nut Muffins (with chocolate chips!)

What you'll need:

• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup white unbleached flour
• 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/3 teaspoon salt
• 2 overripe bananas
• 1 /2cup brown sugar
• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 duck egg (yes, I said duck, we got them at the farmers market and they're perfect for baking they're very fluffy!)
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup pecans, chopped
• Optional top with *chocolate chips* to taste - this is the more desserty option :)

What you'll do with it:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and lightly butter 1 muffin tins. This recipe make 1 dozen muffins

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Mash 1 of the bananas with a fork in a small bowl so they still have a bit of texture. With an electric mixer fitted with a wire whisk, whip the remaining bananas and sugar together for a about 3 minutes. Add the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla and beat well, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice. Mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Fold in the nuts and the mashed bananas with a rubber spatula. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins to fill them about halfway. Give them a rap on the counter to get any air bubbles out.  Top with chocolate chips if desired.

Bake until a toothpick stuck in the muffins comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before turning the muffins out. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Original recipe from here

Happy Baking!

Mint Julep Cupcakes

So I had a very large mint plant and I needed to use the leaves up, so last week I made some mint juleps.  But as anyone who's tried them can tell you, they're really strong, and it became quite clear I would not be able to breastfeed and enjoy them. They were sooo strong!  So I decided that I'd use this recipe to make some cupcakes.  And as always I modified it to work for me. Here's my Mint Julep Recipe:

Ingredients.

Cupcakes:

1 Cup Organic Butter

2 Cups Raw Sugar 

4 Free Range Organic Eggs

2 and 3/4 Cups Organic Flour

1 Table Spoon Baking Powder

1 Teaspoon Salt (I used pink Himalayan salt)

1 Cup Almond Milk

1 Cup Previously made Mint Julep (following this recipe)

Frosting:

3 Cups Sifted Powdered Sugar

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

1 Stick Organic Unsalted Butter (I used same amount vegetable shortening)

Almond milk as needed.

Fresh Mint for Garnish.

What to do with it all:

Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and prep 30 regular size cupcake liners (or mix and match mini and regular sizes) 

Combine salt, baking powder and 1 3/4 cups flour in a bowl.

In a mixing bowl beat the butter, sugar, eggs and extract until creamy, then beat in the flour mixture above.  Add the milk and julep mixture into the batter, then beat in the rest of the flour, mix as litttle as possible, just until the mixture comes together.  divide the batter into the cupcake liners, bake for 25-30 minutes or 20 minute for mini cupcakes.

Regular cupcakes oven ready

Mini cupcakes oven ready

For the icing mixture:

Combine the powdered sugar, salt, extract and melted butter (or vegetable shortening) until creamy. Gradually add almond milk until the texture is right for piping or frosting.  When cupcakes are completely cooled, spread on top, garnish with mint leaves.

Mixing the frosting

Perfect texture!

My secret ingredient for BOTH Vegan frosting and Regular frosting with perfect texture.

A little cake stand I made with thrifted items.

 

Regular Cupcakes with Mint Garnish

Baked Pie-less Apples

On a cloudy Sunday morning in Phoenix, I decided to have a fancy breakfast with my husband and these Pie-less apples are the result.  My sister made something similar once before, but I just sort of winged this one.

What you'll need:
Apple
Strudel Mixture (3/4 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 cup brown sugar, oatmeal.  mix then add 1/2 cup butter)

What you'll do:
Cut apple in half, and remove core.  sprinkle with as much of the strudel mixture as you'd like and save the rest in your fridge for another apple pie-less morning.  (The mix I used was left over from when I made apple pie 2 weeks ago, which is what the measurements above are actually for) put in toaster oven at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.

Waffles pictured from the recipe here.