Search Results for: vegan chocolate

White Chocolate Cranberry Scones

December 16, 2013 · by Ari ·

Rich, crumbly white chocolate shortbread-like scones filled with sweet and tart dried cranberries are the perfect treat on Christmas morning, or any time year round. Vegan & gluten-free.

Okay, let’s take a quick break from cookies for a minute. Actually, I have a confession. These were supposed to be cookies. I wanted to make white chocolate cranberry cookies, and I took one of my chocolate cookie recipes and started to modify it, and at the end I looked at the dough and thought “these are not cookies”.

So I went rogue, and decided they would be scones. I had no idea how they would actually turn out, but as soon as they came out of the oven, I knew I had made the right choice.

These scones aren’t flakey like a traditional bakery-style scone, but more crumbly like a shortbread. They have that buttery (without butter) melt-in-your-mouth kind of feel, and you will find yourself picking at every last crumb.

Instead of using white chocolate chips, the white chocolate is melted into the dough so you get tons of delicious white chocolate flavor in every single bite. Ya know when you’re eating something with chocolate chips, and you get a bite without chips? How it’s basically the most disappointing bite ever? Yeah, none of that here.

And as if there wasn’t enough white chocolate flavor in the scones themselves, of course I had to drizzle a little extra on top because, well, it’s my favorite. I know I should choose dark chocolates, and blah, blah, blah, antioxidants, but I’ve always been a white chocolate girl at heart, and mixed with cranberries? Let’s just say these babies didn’t last long, and I am already craving more!

White Chocolate Cranberry Scones

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 6-8 scones

Serving Size: 1 scone

White Chocolate Cranberry Scones

Rich, crumbly white chocolate shortbread-like scones filled with sweet and tart dried cranberries are the perfect treat on Christmas morning, or any time year round. Vegan & gluten-free.

Ingredients

4 ounces white chocolate*
2 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons gluten-free baking blend, or white whole wheat flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
dash salt
2/3 cup dried cranberries

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Line a small baking sheet with silpat or parchment paper. Set aside.
In a small saucepan heat white chocolate and coconut oil over medium heat until melted, stirring constantly. Alternatively, you can heat them in a small bowl in the microwave in increments of 30 seconds stirring after each.
In a large bowl, whisk together baking blend, sugars, cornstarch, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Stir in melted white chocolate and coconut oil. Mix in cranberries
Roll dough into a large ball and press down into a 1-1 1/2" thick disk. Cut into 6-8 equal pieces. Do not separate.
Bake as if for 10-12 minutes until golden and set. Set baking dish on wire rack to cool completely. Drizzle extra melted white chocolate if desired, and let set for about 30 minutes. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

Notes

*For vegan scones, use vegan white chocolate.

https://arismenu.com/white-chocolate-cranberry-scones/

Eggnog Dark Chocolate Chunk Almond Meal Cookies

December 15, 2013 · by Ari ·

Soft, nutty almond meal cookies with bold eggnog flavor, and melty chunks of dark chocolate. Vegan, gluten-free and unlike any cookie you’ve ever tasted!

How do you feel about eggnog? It seems to be one of those holiday things that people either LOVE or find totally disgusting. I never understood how anyone could dislike it, but then again, if I had it my way, I’d eat my cereal with half and half. 😉 Rich, thick and creamy has never been something I turn down. In fact, in my, um…less healthy days, I could probably drink a carton of eggnog in one sitting. Okay, now that does actually gross me out now, but that’s how much I love it.

But don’t worry, if drinking eggnog isn’t your thing, these cookies have got you covered in the flavor department, without that creamy texture. They also use the soy nog. I’m usually not a big fan of soy anything, but I’m also a big fan of saving calories, and it really is the lightest one around. Not to mention, it means you can share it with all your vegan and lactose intolerant friends. Or keep them all to yourself, because you probably won’t want to share. That’s where using the lowest calorie eggnog comes in handy. 😉

If you’ve never had almond meal cookies, they are unlike any other cookie you will ever eat. It’s not one of those times where I’m gonna be like “I swear, it tastes exactly the same!” because it doesn’t, but not in a bad way, but in a totally unique, surprising kind of way. The almond meal gives them tons of texture without having huge chunks of nuts in your cookies. I hate that. I love nuts, but I don’t usually like them in my desserts. I like to save room for things I love more. Like chocolate, which these babies are loaded with.

Okay so about the chocolate…You want to use the good stuff. I mean, don’t spend a fortune, but don’t buy one from the check out stand. I always use a salted dark chocolate. It’s my favorite. I’m a 65-75% kinda girl. Some people love their 90%, and I don’t think that’s dessert, but if you like it, more power to you! Pretty much, just use what you like because you will be the one unable to keep your hands off these little gems. On second thought, maybe you should use something you hate…

A couple hints before you get started: Don’t worry if the dough seems really wet, and more like muffin batter. It will firm up a bit when it chills, but it still won’t be a traditional cookie dough. Use a scoop if you want your cookies to come out not looking like aliens. You can use a large spoon as well, but the scoop will yield much prettier and more even cookies. DO NOT try to roll them in your hands unless you like doughy fingers. Oh, and if you love these as much as I do, you have got to try this version using Baileys instead of eggnog!

Eggnog Dark Chocolate Chunk Almond Meal Cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Yield: 2 dozen

Serving Size: 1 cookie

Eggnog Dark Chocolate Chunk Almond Meal Cookies

Soft, nutty almond meal cookies with bold eggnog flavor, and melty chunks of dark chocolate. Vegan, gluten-free and unlike any cookie you've ever tasted!

Ingredients

3 cups almond meal
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup brown sugar
dash freshly ground nutmeg
dash salt
1/2 cup soy nog (or light eggnog)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp rum extract
5 oz dark chocolate, chopped into chunks

Instructions

Line a large baking sheet with silpat or parchment paper. Set aside.In a medium bowl, whisk together almond meal, baking soda, cornstarch, brown sugar, nutmeg and salt. Add eggnog and extracts. Mix until well combined. Fold in dark chocolate. Cover and chill for 30-60 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350. Use a small cookie scoop to drop onto prepared baking pan. Bake until tops just begin to brown, about 11-14 minutes. Cool completely on cookie sheet. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

https://arismenu.com/eggnog-dark-chocolate-chunk-almond-meal-cookies/

Dark Chocolate Cranberry Snack Mix

December 8, 2013 · by Ari ·

The perfect holiday snack mix with sweet and salty kettle corn, crunchy Chex, soft cranberries, and bold, creamy dark chocolate–you won’t be able to stay away from it. Vegan, gluten-free & even nut-free!

A couple of weeks ago, I had the amazing opportunity to film a segment with Health2Fit on (edible) DIY holiday gifts. The whole thing was kinda surreal, like too good to be true. I got to go to a real studio (eeee!), and although I was super nervous, everyone was so nice and welcoming! Natalie asked me to share 3 treats, so I baked up some of my new favorite cookies (those are coming very soon 😉 ), put together my DIY Brownie Mix Jars, and made this snack mix.

The whole thing was a blast! I was (of course) really nervous while we were filming, but I’m excited to see how it all turned out. It was totally a dream come true, and I (and YOU!) get to see the final product this Saturday! The segment will air on local channel 7, cable channel 13, Saturday 12/14 at 11am (AZ time)! I will also be posting the video on here if you guys want to see it.

I actually don’t make a lot of snack mixes. I an such a snack monster that the last thing I need lying around the house is tempting snack food like this, but it’s always a hit at parties, and this one is actually pretty light for a dessert snack mix! Or at least that makes me feel better about the copious amount I consumed…

I love all of the different flavors and textures that come together in perfect harmony. The dark chocolate, by the way? Totally mandatory. And it has to be melted. I tried making it with chocolate chips, and although everything still tasted good, the melted dark chocolate is what really bring everything together. When it cools, it gives you those big, dreamy clusters that snack mix are all about. You could also use white chocolate–that’s been on my to-do list ever since I made this!

Dark Chocolate Cranberry Snack Mix

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Yield: approx 5 cups

Dark Chocolate Cranberry Snack Mix

The perfect holiday snack mix with sweet and salty kettle corn, crunchy Chex, soft cranberries, and bold, creamy dark chocolate--you won't be able to stay away from it. Vegan, gluten-free & even nut-free!

Ingredients

3 cups popped 94% fat free kettle corn
2 cups Rice Chex cereal
1 cup reduced sugar dried cranberries (or regular dried cranberries)
generous pinch sea salt
1/3 cup chopped dark chocolate (or dark chocolate chips)
1/2 tsp coconut oil

Instructions

Evenly spread popcorn in a single layer over parchment paper. Top with Rice Chex, then cranberries. The goal is for all ingredients to be evenly dispersed. Sprinkle with sea salt.
Melt chocolate and coconut oil in a medium microwave safe bowl by heating in 30 second increments, stirring after each, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Drizzle chocolate over other ingredients. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

https://arismenu.com/dark-chocolate-cranberry-snack-mix/

Dark Chocolate Sunflower Butter Truffles

December 2, 2013 · by Ari ·

Rich and intense dark chocolate sunflower butter truffles are perfect treat to bring to a Christmas party, and make a great edible gift! Vegan, gluten-free and filled with intense chocolate flavor!

I have a confession. After the first round of making these truffles, I officially swore off truffle making forever. Not because I wasn’t in love with them, but because I’m, um, a little…slow on the learning curve. At least with things like this. I don’t have that whole hand-eye-coordination thing, and tasks that require care and patients are realllllly not my thing.

Then I tasted them. And I ate my words…in the form of an entire batch of truffles. Totally worth it.

So I did, in fact, make them again. andagainandagainandagain. Each time it got easier, and by the most recent batch, I even referred to it as “enjoyable” and “therapeutic”. WHO AM I???? It turns out, once you get the hang of it, they really don’t take that long. So pour yourself a glass of wine, put on your favorite holiday movie, and enjoy the process, because once you are finished and you take your first bite, I guarantee you will fall in love.

These truffles are so rich, and decadent. The deep flavor of dark chocolate mixed with creamy, nutty sunflower butter, topped with intense Dutch cocoa powder–it is a chocolate lover’s dream.

**Note: All photos on this post were taken by my husband. I made these last year before I was exclusively taking the photos for my site. I could make them again (they are so good), but his photos are gorgeous, so I decided to keep them. 🙂

Dark Chocolate Sunflower Butter Truffles

Prep Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 2 hours

Yield: 3 1/2 dozen

Serving Size: 1 truffle

Dark Chocolate Sunflower Butter Truffles

Rich and intense dark chocolate sunflower butter truffles are perfect treat to bring to a Christmas party, and make a great edible gift! Vegan, gluten-free and filled with intense chocolate flavor!

Ingredients

12 oz dark chocolate, melted
1/3 cup sweetened condensed coconut milk, at room temperature (can sub regular sweetened condensed milk)
1/3 cup sunflower butter

For coating:

6 oz dark chocolate, melted
Approx 1 cup Dutch process cocoa powder for dusting (or Hershey's Special Dark)

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine the 12oz melted dark chocolate, sweetened condensed coconut milk and sunflower butter until well combined. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, and use a small spoon or extra small cookie scoop to transfer chocolate mixture in approx 1/2" balls. If they don't look perfect and round right now, don't worry! Once all of the mixture has been transferred, refrigerate for 1 hour. You can stick them in the freezer as well.
Once the truffles have chilled, roll each truffle in your hands until round and smooth. Melt 6 oz dark chocolate in a wide shallow bowl. Pour 1 cup cocoa powder in a similar wide and shallow bowl. Use a fork to roll each truffle in melted chocolate until fully coated then in cocoa powder. Once truffle is fully coated, use your fork to gently place it back onto lined baking sheet. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator or freezer.

https://arismenu.com/dark-chocolate-sunflower-butter-truffles/

Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Cookies

November 17, 2013 · by Ari ·

Vegan & gluten-free ultra soft pumpkin cookies filled with chunks of bold dark chocolate. Perfect cookie (not cakey) texture without a single ounce of butter–something even I thought was impossible!

I get a little sad every year around this time. The end of pumpkin season. The day after Thanksgiving, I spend the next 10 months waiting for September 1st so I can start posting pumpkin recipes again. Every year, without fail, I’m left with a handful of recipes that never made it to the blog before the season ended.

I had just about given up on pumpkin cookies. I loooove pumpkin muffins, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cupcakes–anything that is supposed to be light and cakey, the pumpkin basically works like a dream, but cookies? I don’t like my cookies cakey, and especially while trying to avoid using butter, I just thought that pumpkin cookies were an impossible task.

After seeing my girl Sally’s recipe for her pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, I was inspired to try again. It was the first pumpkin cookie recipe I’d seen where you could see just from the photos that the texture was perfect. I did a little more research and saw this recipe on Baked by Rachel. They also looked ridiculously good–and again, with that perfect cookie texture.

I was pretty sure once I got rid of the butter, there was no way I’d be satisfied, but it turns out I couldn’t have been more wrong. The texture was absolutely spot on. The edges got ever so slightly crisp, and the middle was soft, gooey, and everything I’ve ever wanted in a cookie. The pumpkin flavor shines through, and the huge chunks of dark chocolate are the perfect finishing touch. I used a sea salt dark chocolate which I would highly recommend, but any good quality dark chocolate will do. I also made a batch with bits of Heath toffee thrown in, and let me tell you, that was magnificent. You could use white chocolate, add cranberries, anything really–the dough is the perfect container for all your favorite add ins!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: approx 2 1/2 dozen

Serving Size: 1 cookie

Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Vegan & gluten-free ultra soft pumpkin cookies filled with chunks of bold dark chocolate. Perfect cookie (not cakey) texture without a single ounce of butter--something even I thought was impossible!

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups gluten-free baking blend (or white whole wheat flour)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tbsp cornstarch
dash salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
6 tbsp apple butter
6 tbsp pumpkin
2 tsp vanilla extract
6 oz good quality dark chocolate, roughly chopped

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cornstarch, and salt until combined. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat together sugars, coconut oil, apple butter, pumpkin and vanilla until combined. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined. Gently, stir in chocolate. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. If you leave it in longer (ie: several hours to overnight), you may need to let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes before scooping and baking.
Preheat oven to 350. Line two large baking sheets with silpat of parchment papers. Use a small cookie scoop to transfer dough to baking sheet.
Bake until edges are lightly golden and cookies are just set, about 10-12 minutes. Cool completely on baking sheet. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to one week.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Baked by Rachel and Sally's Baking Addiction

https://arismenu.com/pumpkin-chocolate-chunk-cookies/

Pumpkin Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

October 21, 2013 · by Ari ·

Vegan and gluten-free ultra soft pumpkin banana muffins overflowing with melty dark chocolate chips. The perfect treat for a crisp fall morning.

Good morning! Is it morning where you are? It’s totally not here, but these muffins make me feel like morning. That probably sounds weird. Not just because they’re muffins. Muffins are more an afternoon snack than breakfast for me. They just make me feel like morning. Like cool, crisp autumn morning on the porch. I wish I had a table and chairs on my porch. A table and chairs just for muffins.

Perfectly imperfect muffins. Not at all smooth like your normally think of, but with a little character and personality, and a whole lot of flavor. You see pumpkin and banana are known for making perfectly *gross word*, soft, and tender baked goods. Put them together, and it only gets better. Add some melty dark chocolate, and you’ve got the stuff dreams are made of.

The muffins practically melt in your mouth. No dry, cakey-ness (Okay, serious how do you spell that word?? I get a red squiggly line every time with no suggestion. Rude.) that you would expect from a health(ier) muffin. Sometimes I don’t like pumpkin in cookies because it makes them taste like, well, muffins–which is why pumpkin muffins are just perfect!

These are super simple and easy to make, and a perfect fall treat to have around on Thanksgiving or any get together. That is if you don’t eat them all before your family and friends arrive. 😉

Pumpkin Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 1 dozen

Serving Size: 1 muffin

Pumpkin Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Vegan and gluten-free ultra soft pumpkin banana muffins overflowing with melty dark chocolate chips. The perfect treat for a crisp fall morning.

Ingredients

2 cups gluten free baking blend
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp baking powder
dash salt
2 extra ripe bananas, mashed
2/3 cup pumpkin puree
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup dark chocolate chips (I a combination of mini and full size)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425. Line muffin tins with paper liners and spray liners with nonstick spray. Do not skip this step--lower fat items will stick if you don't use spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together baking blend, pumpkin pie spice, cornstarch, baking powder and salt.
In a large bowl mix together banana, pumpkin, brown sugar and vanilla until combined. Stir in dry ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix. Gently fold in chocolate chips.
Evenly divide batter between prepared muffin tins. Bake for 5 minutes, then lower heat to 350. Continue baking until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with just a few crumbs, about 12-15 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

https://arismenu.com/pumpkin-banana-chocolate-chip-muffins/

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Shake

September 8, 2013 · by Ari ·

I know, I know….It’s September and we’re supposed to be talking about crockpots, pumpkin, and cinnamon. And this weekend, I can’t even complain about the temperatures here. We’ve had highs in the 90s, and yesterday we even got rain! I mean, being rained on for a good 3 hours of my bike ride was not ideal, but I will never complain about rain in this city!

And honestly, I don’t care if it’s 100 degrees or 50, I still always want ice cream. My friends think I’m crazy when I crave fro-yo in the winter, but it just is, and always will be, my favorite dessert. Cookies are a close second.

The other day, my little sister (in-law–ps I hate the term “in-law”) was over after just having her braces tightened and was having trouble chewing on any solid food. I am of strong belief that any mouth or throat pain means ice cream is a necessity. If you’re going to be miserable, there should at least be ice cream.

I decided to use up the last of my chocolate fro-yo, throw in a banana, and of course I had to add in peanut butter. I tasted a sip, and it was dangerously good. I knew I wanted to remake it at least a tiny bit healthier for myself, so I put some extra ripe bananas in the freezer for a day when I would need a little pick-me-up.

I love milkshakes because they literally require 3 minutes of your time (and then an other 30 as you stress out trying to photograph them before they turn into a melty puddle of mess), and they are a total comfort dessert for me! I ended up using a combination of chocolate peanut butter and chocolate chips to get the chocolate flavor in there, and the blended up chips added just the right amount of texture.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Shake

Prep Time: 3 minutes

Total Time: 3 minutes

Yield: 2 servings

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Shake

This chocolate peanut butter banana milkshake is ridiculously simple and comes together in minutes.

Ingredients

3 bananas, sliced and frozen
2 tbsp chocolate peanut butter
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
whipped cream or whipped coconut cream and sprinkles for serving, optional

Instructions

Combine bananas, peanut butter, chocolate chips, vanilla and 1/2 cup of your almond milk in a high-quality blender. Blend until smooth (you will likely need to stop and stir--it will be very thick). Slowly, add more milk until milkshake has reached your desired consistency. Serve immediately. Top with whipped cream/whipped coconut cream and sprinkles if desired.

https://arismenu.com/chocolate-peanut-butter-banana-shake/

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Almond Meal Muffins

June 18, 2013 · by Ari ·

Soft & fluffy zucchini muffins stuffed with dark chocolate chips. Grain-free, refined sugar-free, vegan & paleo!

Did I ever tell you about the time I ate 3 zucchinis in one sitting because I wanted a snack and was trying to be healthy? I called up one of my best friends and said “I think I just over ate zucchinis. Is that even a thing?” I love them. Sauteed, roasted, grilled, BAKED!

Okay, these muffins taste nothing like zucchinis. Just like carrot cake doesn’t actually taste like carrots. But the zucchinis add some extra veggie goodness, and also produce some of the softest, (insert gross word) and tender muffins I have ever tasted.

As soon as I decided I wanted to make zucchini almond meal muffins, I hit up my girl Gina’s blog for some inspiration. She has the best paleo recipes, and although I don’t eat paleo, I love baking with nut flours, and her blog is always a great place to start. She made some ridiculously good looking zucchini bread that I used as a guideline, but ended up with muffins with chocolate chips inside. Shocking, right?

The muffins tasted EXACTLY like I wanted–lightly sweet, hearty and filling without being heavy. They didn’t last long, and whether you normally use grain-free flours or not, you will absolutely love them!

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Almond Meal Muffins

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Yield: 1 dozen

Serving Size: 1 muffin

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Almond Meal Muffins

Soft & fluffy zucchini muffins stuffed with dark chocolate chips. Grain-free, refined sugar-free, vegan & paleo!

Ingredients

3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups almond meal
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
dash salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 ripe banana, mashed
3 tbsp natural liquid sweetener of choice (honey, agave, maple syrup, etc.)
1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup finely grated zucchini, squeezed dry
heaping 1/2 cup mini dark chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Line muffin tins with paper liners. Set aside.
Measure milk in your measuring cup. Add apple cider vinegar and whisk lightly. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together almond meal, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add almond milk mixture, banana, sweetener, coconut oil, and vanilla. Mix until just combined. Fold in zucchini and chocolate chips.
Evenly divide batter between between 12 prepared muffin molds.
Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes.

Notes

Adapted from Running to the Kitchen

https://arismenu.com/chocolate-chip-zucchini-almond-meal-muffins/

“Nutella” Granola {vegan + gluten-free}

May 7, 2013 · by Ari ·

Once upon a time, I discovered the peanut butter & Nutella sandwich. Then, I discovered the Nutella + spoon combination. And sometimes the spoon never even came to join the party. Shameless.

I can’t even have Nutella in the house these days. It’s just too tempting. Occasionally, I’ll buy it for a recipe (and then eat my oatmeal out of the empty jar and feel like I’ve died and gone to heaven), but I think it’s about time that I get to eat chocolate hazelnutty goodness for breakfast every single day. Does that not just sound like perfection?

The best part? You don’t even have to buy Nutella for this recipe, but the taste is uncanny. I took one bite after it finished cooking and quickly exclaimed “It tastes like NUTELLA!!!” Just simple granola loaded with hazelnuts with some cocoa powder added to the mix. It is not overpoweringly sweet, and it doesn’t taste like dessert. I think the sweetness is perfect, but if you want a sweeter granola, you can absolutely add some extra brown sugar, or honey, or agave.

I also discovered the secret to the biggest, fattest granola clusters–check those monsters out!! I’m always looking for the big, chunky clusters, and this time I got it right. I did not stir this granola once while it cooked. I just let it do it’s thing, flipped it around half way through, and ya know what? Everything cooked evenly, nothing burned, and I had granola clusters the size of my hand! What??? Now the problem is not eating those clusters every time I step into the pantry. It’s kind of a problem…

“Nutella” Granola

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes

Yield: Approx 10 cups

Serving Size: 1/2 cup

“Nutella” Granola

Simple and easy chocolate hazelnut granola tastes remarkably like Nutella! The big clusters and bold flavors are totally addicting and will have you constantly reaching back for more.

Ingredients

5 cups rolled oats (use gluten-free if that’s important to you)
2 cups hazelnuts, roughly chopped
1 cup slivered almonds
heavy pinch sea salt
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup honey or agave
2/3 cup cocoa powder (I used Hershey's special dark)
2 tbsp coconut oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 300. In a very large bowl, mix together the oats, nuts and salt.
In a small saucepan, warm the applesauce, brown sugar, honey/agave, cocoa powder and coconut oil until well combined, whisking constantly. Add the applesauce mixture into the dry ingredients and toss to combine. Evenly divide granola in an even layer between two large baking sheets.
Bake until browned and crispy, about 50 minutes-1 hour, turning half way through.
Cool completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature. The granola will stay fresh for at least one month. I've never made a batch last any longer than that, but it's still great a month in and probably for longer.

Notes

If you'd like, you may gently stir the granola every 20 minutes while cooking. This will lead to less clusters and a finer granola. I prefer to be able to break the clusters up myself afterwards, but if you like a finer granola, then stirring will help.

https://arismenu.com/nutella-granola-vegan-gluten-free/

Salted Triple Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirled Brownie Cookies

April 4, 2013 · by Ari ·

I’m sorry. I know my title is so long. Ridiculously long. I promise I tried to change it, but I just needed to tell you all of those things about these cookies. They are too important to leave out.

I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it, but my best friend from high school is having a baby!! She’s due in less than a month, and it’s so strange. I’ve seen a lot of people have kids, but never someone my age and close to me. It’s like we’re becoming adults, and I can’t even handle it.

I’ve also never been so excited for someone to have a baby. There are no two people in the entire universe that could make more amazing parents than Lisa and Sam. Whenever I need to talk something through, Lisa is one of the first people I call, and she is always so loving, supportive, and filled with amazing, insightful advice. It has been so amazing to watch her meet the perfect man who loves her like crazy, and watch them build their life together.

A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending her baby shower. I’ve never been so excited for one of those things! I got totally emotional picking out her gifts. I came *this close* to making her black & white cookies, but I ended up deciding to try something new…like always. 😉

I just lightly adapted one of my favorite cookie recipes which was originally adapted by one of my very favorite bloggers, and I now might have a new favorite cookie. These cookies are not for those who love a mild taste, or feel luke warm about chocolate. Oh no, these are rich, bold, decadent, and insanely dark. They have the kind of intense chocolate flavor that satisfies you with just one cookie.

I mean, don’t get me wrong…You will want to eat 3 or 4, but one really does the trick. I always find dark chocolate to be more satisfying than milk chocolate. Sometimes I prefer a milk chocolate taste, but it always leaves me craving more, where as dark chocolate satisfies my sweet tooth. Anyone else? Am I just a total freak?

I originally wanted to make my own peanut butter chips. Natural, no sweetener, “healthy”. But then I got impatient, and I didn’t chill the peanut butter nearly long enough, and as I stirred it in, it just started swirling around. I was totally bummed for a hot second, then decided to just go with it. I ended up LOVING the peanut butter swirl! So pretty, so peanut buttery, so right. One of those happy accidents.

Add a little bite with so coarse sea salt on top, and you’ve got the makings of a perfect cookie. All sorts of things happening, but all working perfectly together.

Salted Triple Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirled Brownie Cookies

Prep Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Yield: 1 dozen

Serving Size: 1 cookie

Salted Triple Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirled Brownie Cookies

Rich, decadent brownie cookies swirled with peanut butter and topped with sea salt. Vegan and whole grain.

Ingredients

1/3 cup peanut butter, slightly melted
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp corn starch
dash salt
4 oz dark chocolate, melted and cooled
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 tbsp apple butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks
Sea salt for topping

Instructions

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pour peanut butter on in a thin layer. Transfer to the freezer to chill for 1 hour.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, corn starch and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat together chocolate, vanilla, apple butter, and sugars until well combined,Add almond milk, then slowly beat in dry ingredients until just combined.
Remove chilled peanut butter from parchment paper (it should be solid, but bendable. Gently, fold peanut butter and chocolate chips into batter. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat. Use a small cookie scoop to transfer dough to prepared cookie sheets. Add a small pinch of sea salt to each cookie. Press down dough balls to flatten slightly (they don’t spread when they bake, so if you don’t flatten them, you will end up with round cookies).
Bake for 10-12 minutes until just set. Do not over bake. They will continue to cook themselves as they sit. Let the cookies stand on the pan until completely cooled. Store in an airtight container for one week (these cookies stay pretty darn soft and gooey for days!).

https://arismenu.com/salted-triple-chocolate-peanut-butter-swirled-brownie-cookies/

Samoas Donuts {vegan}

March 1, 2013 · by Ari ·

It’s here. The season I love to hate. Or hate to love. Yes, definitely hate to love: Girl Scout Cookie Season.

For the past few years, I’ve avoided purchasing any all together, but this year a special girl in my life was selling them, and I just couldn’t let her not win the special prize for selling the most boxes, right???? But really, girl scout cookies happen only once a year, and the two boxes I purchased aren’t going to be the end of the world, as long as I don’t eat them all in one sitting. In fact, I’m proud to announce that a week in, and only one box has even been opened!

This is what we call MASSIVE WILLPOWER over in my house. Plus, now that I have these donuts, that opened box of samoas isn’t drawing me in quite so heavily. The unopened thin mints in my freezer? Well, that’s an other story. Those long tubes of cookies are portion control’s worst nightmare. Oh, you say all of these delicious cookies come in 2 tubes? Well, clearly one tube is a “serving”, right?

I’m actually trying to save them for when I decide just how I want them to be a part of a cupcake, or milkshake, or cookie inside of a cookie.

So how did I make these indulgent cookies into a completely vegan, and health(ier) dessert? Well, the donut part was easy. I have a pretty basic donut recipe that I love, and it didn’t require too much tweaking. Chocolate and coconut? Piece of cake. I don’t even buy that sweetened coconut. I love the finely shredded unsweetened low fat stuff. You can, of course, use whatever you want, but if I can get that delicious coconutty taste without the added sugar, I’ll take it!

The caramel portion was tricky. I’ve seen date caramel all over the internet, and I’d been dying to try it. Dates are so sweet and gooey that it seemed like they could definitely do the trick! So I got out the food processor, played around, heated the mixture on the stove a little to get that extra-gooey effect, and voila! Now, I’m gonna be real with you here. It doesn’t just just like that gooey buttery caramel we’re all used to and love. It is not an exact replica, but it does give you a sweet, caramel texture with no added sugar. I could have just eaten it with a spoon if I didn’t have donuts to make!

And not just any donuts–ultra soft, pillowy donuts that taste like biting into a sweet, fluffy cloud. I don’t know why anyone fries these things when they bake up perfectly soft and sweet on their own. Add rich, bold dark chocolate, and you have everything you could ever need in a dessert.

**Note: To get closer to the Samoas look, you can also coat the bottom in chocolate, but I was trying to keep this light, so I just drizzled it on the top. Also, you can totally drizzle it in a straighter line for the resemblance I tried…we all have our strengths and weaknesses 😉

Samoas Donuts

yield 6 donuts

1 cup white whole wheat flour
3 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp dark brown sugar, packed
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp corn starch
dash salt
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk, divided use
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tbsp melted coconut oil
20 pitted dates (and water for soaking)
2 tbsp reduced fat unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 tsp coconut oil, at room temperature

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325. Spray a donut pan with nonstick spray, and set aside.
Place dates in a bowl and cover with hot water. Allow to soak while you prepare the donuts.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugars, baking powder, corn starch and salt. Stir in 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp almond milk, vanilla and melted coconut oil. Gently stir until ingredients are just combined.
Evenly divide batter between 6 donut molds. Smooth out tops. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely in molds.
Transfer dates + 2-3 tbsp of water from soaking to your food processor. Process until dates begin breaking down to more of a paste, about 2-3 minutes. Add a pinch of salt (you can also add a dash of vanilla extract if you’d like) and 2 tbsp almond milk. Continue to process until a caramel texture forms, about 2-3 minutes.
Transfer mixture to a small saucepan, and cook on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes whisking constantly. Return back to the food processor, and blend again for about one minute.
Top donuts with date caramel sauce, followed by a heavy pinch of coconut.
Melt chocolate and room temperature coconut oil in the microwave for about 90 seconds, stirring every 20-30 seconds. Transfer melted chocolate to a large ziplock bag. Snip off the corner of the bag, and drizzle chocolate over donuts. Allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for 5-7 days.

Chocolate Frosted Orange Donuts

February 4, 2013 · by Ari ·

I have something really embarrassing to tell you.

So I pretty much never know the correct way to store my baked goods. Either I wrap it all up super close in an airtight container when it is still entirely too warm resulting in a big gooey mess of cookies/cupcakes/etc. basically unbaking themselves; or I leave everything out chillin’ with all the breezy air flowing freely throughout my house resulting in stale baked goods in something like 48 hours.

It is a particularly sad experience to spend 75% of your life baking cookies, only to end up not being able to enjoy them the next day. Life is hard when you have a food blog.

Okay, but we’re not even to the embarrassing part yet. This happened when I chose option B, letting my baked goods hang out (read: I was lazy, and didn’t store anything properly). You see, this became a problem because I was unbelievably head over heels for these donuts. That’s part of the reason I didn’t store them in the first place. They were so tempting. I was scared to keep them.

Well, my plans to trick myself into not eating all of the donuts failed miserably when I found myself picking at the lone stale donut still standing 3 days later. That’s the embarrassing part. But if you baked the most perfect tasting orange donuts that were melt-in-your-mouth soft, and covered with sweet chocolatey goodness, you would be picking at the stale leftovers too.

Oh, and by the way, they’re vegan, and gluten-free. 😉

Chocolate Frosted Orange Donuts

yield 8-10 donuts

For the donuts:

2 cups almond meal
zest of 1 orange
3 tbsp corn starch
3/4 tsp baking powder
dash salt
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup honey or agave
1/3 cup orange juice
1/2 tsp orange extract

For the frosting:

1 cup powdered sugar
2-4 tbsp hot water
1 and 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted

Directions:

Start with the donuts. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray donut pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together almond meal, orange zest, corn starch, baking powder and salt. Stir in almond milk, honey/agave, orange juice and orange extract until combined.
Fill donut molds about 2/3 – 3/4 full. Bake for 12-16 minutes until golden and set. Let stand for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack (I flipped mine over onto the rack and they came right out) to cool completely.
To make the frosting, place powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Slowly add in water 1 tbsp at a time, stirring constantly, until it reaches a spreadable glaze consistency. Stir in melted chocolate. If glaze becomes too thick, add an other tbsp hot water. Spread glaze on top of cooled donuts.
Top with extra orange zest and/or sprinkles if desired. Store in an airtight container (so you don’t pick at stale donuts) for up to one week.

**Note: If while spreading the glaze it becomes too stiff, stick the bowl in the microwave for 10 seconds, and it will thin out again.

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