Healthy Sugar-Free Raspberry Cappuccino Bark

Oh I'm a nut for chocolate and raspberry together. It is a classic combination. I don't like the fruit dipped in chocolate because it tends to weep and get mushy an funky. But, adding freeze-dried raspberries has been a stroke of absolute genius!  Last year for Christmas we made homemade-thin-mint-cookies and raspberry clusters {of divine happiness-swoon-pass-out}.

With the advent of the new year I wanted a healthy alternative and I'm happy to say that I found one after a good chat with a health and fitness coach, Laura Madden. Laura  teaches classes every Thursday at our Local Honeyville Teaching Kitchen and has a great way of making healthy food accessible to everyone! I love her. Have I mentioned that? At any rate, I made this chocolate raspberry bark adapting her chocolate bark recipe and I'm in love. LOVE. Healthy love. 

When you bite into this bark you get the dark luscious silkiness of a chocolate bar mingled with mocha and vanilla notes. It is deep and rich. It is not super-sweet but that is perfectly off-set by the tart-crispy addition of the freeze-dried raspberries. I've added a small amount of freeze-dried yogurt as well, for a little sweetness and alternative crunch (it is obviously optional if you're vegan or totally sugar-free).  One small piece is just right to fill my chocolate craving and it gives me all the benefits of coconut oil, cocoa, and fresh fruit! How amazing is that?!!


Chef Tess' Chocolate Raspberry Cappuccino Bark 
adapted from Laura Madden's Vegan Chocolate bark

1/2 cup   Coconutreat Raw Organic Coconut Oil
2-3 droppers full liquid stevia (I prefer the flavor of Sweetleaf.com)
1/2 tsp Natural Madagascar vanilla bean paste OR double strength vanilla
1/4 tsp LorAnn cappuccino-flavored oil or 1T espresso powder (I don't use coffee)
1/2 cup organic raw baker's cocoa
1 1/2 cup Freeze-dried Raspberries
1/2 cup Freeze-dried Strawberry yogurt bites (optional. contains milk and sugar)

Melt the coconut oil over very low heat just until liquid. Add the stevia, vanila paste, and flavored oil.

Stir in the baker's cocoa until smooth.

Fold in the Freeze-dried Raspberries and yogurt bites (if you use them). Line a 9 inch bread pan with parchment paper or non-stick foil. Pour mixture into the lined pan and transfer to the freezer until set, about 10 minutes.

Remove from pan and chop into chunks. Keep chilled in the fridge, in an airtight container until ready to eat.

There you go. Another great sugar-free option and a great alternative for a healthy snack now and then!

Always My Very Best,

Your Friend Chef Tess

Vegan, sugar-free, nut-butter cups! Oh. My. Word!

I was visiting with my darling friend Laura Madden who shared with me her remarkable Natural Vegan Chocolate bark and we talked about the amazing possibilities of the bark in other dishes. Peanut butter cups come to mind...only because they're just the bomb. I'm not going to lie, there's a huge part of my rear-end that was caused by those sugar treats. Many of you know that I've been switching over to a healthier lifestyle and when it comes to food, I am certainly a work in progress. That being said, when I find something amazing that can satisfy my cravings now and then, it is a good thing! So, here's the natural, vegan, sugar-free version that I came up with today. It has been a blast...and I'm not going to lie, I'm so very glad to have something to replace my peanut-butter cups with right now. 

Tess' Peanut Butter Cup Filling

 1/2 cup natural nut butter (of your choice but I used Nutzo organic 7 nut and seed butter)
3/4 cup Natural almond flour
3T natural granular erythritol or 30 drops natural stevia
1 tsp Natural Madagascar vanilla bean paste

Basically, combine all the ingredients. I know. It should be more complicated. 

 Now make your coating.

Chocolate bark Coating 
adapted from Laura Madden's Vegan Chocolate bark

3/4 cup organic raw baker's cocoa
3/4 cup   Coconutreat Raw Organic Coconut Oil
2-3 droppers full liquid stevia (I prefer the flavor of Sweetleaf.com)
1/2 tsp Natural Madagascar vanilla bean paste

Melt the coconut oil over very low heat just until liquid.

Stir in the remaining ingredients until smooth. Doesn't the picture of chocolate like that just do the heart good?

 Pour 2T of the liquid into eight baker's cups and put the cups in the fridge until set, about 5 minutes.

While the cocoa sets, divide the peanut mixture into eight balls and flatten them to fit the bottom of a cupcake cup...

 Put the peanut butter disk on top of the cooled chocolate mixture and then top with remaining mixture, about 3T per cup.  Cover the top of the disk-thingy. If you want to use more chocolate mixture you can, but I just needed a thin candy shell over it to get my fix.

 Place in fridge and set, about 10 minutes. I do realize how freakishly hard it will be for them to set, but think of that chocolate coating being able to melt like a truffle-y mess in your mouth. 

Keep chilled until you're ready to enjoy. Coconut oil will start to melt around 80 degrees, so chilling is best.

There you go! A great replacement for an occasional treat!

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend  Chef Tess

Laura Madden's Gluten-Free Healthy Blueberry Cookie Bites

One of my favorite foodies and health and wellness coaches named Laura Madden shared this great recipe on her website using my Wise Woman of the East spice blend. I really love how crips-tender the cookies are with the taste of a fresh blueberry muffin! Plus, they are gluten-free, low glycemic, clean eats!

Laura's health and wellness services are outstanding! 

Laura will be at my favorite Honeyville Farms AZ store tomorrow morning at 10 AM for a free great class on making coconut sandies that are just her style:

High protein

Paleo
Vegan
Very filling
Low glycemic index

Here is the last recipe she shared and it is just remarkably good!

BLUEBERRY COOKIE BITES

from LauraMadden.Com

2 ½ C Honeyville blanched almond flour

¼ t sea salt
¼ t baking soda
1/2 T  Chef Tess Bakeresse Wise women of the East spice (or cinnamon)
½ C organic unrefined coconut oil
3 T raw organic coconut nectar, raw honey, agave nectar*
1-2 T water (if dough appears too dry & crumbly)*
1 t Bakery Emulsion (optional)**
1/2 Cup freeze dried blueberries***

*If sweeter taste is desired, omit water, & +1T extra sweetener of choice
**Used LorAnn Princess Cake&Cookie brand
***Used Honeyville Farms brand

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Soften coconut oil if not already liquid form. Mix dry ingredients. Mix wet ingredients, except water. Combine the two mixtures. Add blueberries. Add water once mixed well, and add additional if batter is too dry & flaky- should be the consistency of normal cookie dough. Form dough into large ball on parchment lined baking sheet. Place 2nd piece parchment over dough and press dough into thin, even layer between the two sheets with your hands. Remove top layer parchment and with wet spatula or butter knife score dough into squares. Bake 15+ minutes. Once cooled, break apart into small squares. Store in airtight container or jar in fridge.

There you go! Make some of Laura's cookies! Better yet, go visit her class! I'll be sitting in on it myself. I always love what she brings to the table!  They are always awesome eats!

Always My Very Best,

Your Friend Chef Tess