Chocolate Delight

Craving chocolate?  These chocolates have no sugars and no starches (that's right, no carbs!) and are made from coconut oil -- which has tons of health benfits, including distroying viruses, fighting diabetes, improving your skin, improving cardiovascular health, boosting your immune system, and stimulating your metabolism (just to name a few!)  (Dr. Mercola; http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/10/22/coconut-oil-and-saturated-fats-can-make-you-healthy.aspx)    Now that I think about it, I haven't been sick since I started consuming coconut oil and have had more energy than ever.  Coincidence?  Anyway, since I still love my sweets, I probably eat anywhere from 2 to 4 Chocolate Delights a day.   They've never made me gain weight and it's perfect for when I'm craving chocolate.

CHOCOLATE DELIGHT

4 TB milk (or if your diet allows it, use cream)

3/4 cup Splenda  or other sweetener (I use Ideal Sweetener, which is made from xylitol, in place of Splenda)

1 cup coconut oil

1 cup unsweetened baking cocoa (3/4 cup if you prefer the taste of milk chocolate over dark chocolate)

On the LOWEST HEAT possible, warm the milk (or cream) and add sweetener.  Stir until the sweetener is dissolved.  

Add the coconut oil and stir until melted.  DO NOT OVERHEAT - keep on the lowest setting possible.  After the coconut oil is melted, take the pan off the heat and add the cocoa.  Stir until well blended. 

Pour mixture into candy trays, ice cube trays, or in a jelly pan.  Cool in fridge until hardened.

Enjoy!

**  Coconut oil becomes a liquid at around 75 degrees.  It's best to keep your chocolate delight in the fridge.  You can keep it out, assuming the temperature in your house remains under 75 (ish).  Leaving it out gives it a softer, more creamy texture, sort of like a truffle.

**  Chocolate Delight is very forgiving.  If it doesn't taste right, you can remelt it and start over. 

**  MIX IT UP by adding ground hazelnuts, sugar free flavored syrups, or extracts.  You may also fill the centers with peanut butter to make peanut butter cups.  The possibilities are endless!

Lasagna (Quickie Style)

I love lasagna, but I rarely have enough time to make it the way most recipes call for it to be made.  I invented my own recipe, "quickie style," that still tastes delicious, but supports my full time working mother of 2 toddlers lifestyle.  Basically, no measuring is required.  The noodles and sauce take about 20 minutes to whip together (but keep in mind, little to no measuring required!)  Add 5 minutes to assemble and then 45 minutes to bake.  Of course, it's even better the next day.  I have found it's an easy one to do in the evening the day before, then rewarm it for dinner the next night.  DE-LISH!  And did I mention easy?



















Make your lasagna as you usually may, however make your own sauce (it's quick and easy!) and replace traditional noodles with this recipe:

Ingrediants:
1 container cottage cheese
1-2 cup/s mozzarella cheese, shredded
3 cups cheddar cheese, shredded  (You can also use more mozzarella cheese, like I did in the picture)
6 eggs
1 can tomato sauce
spices such as oregano, basil, garlic, etc
1 lb ground beef


Noodles:
Mix 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese with  the 6 eggs in a bowl and spread thinly on a jelly roll pan/pans.  Bake in oven for 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown...don't under bake though. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Once cooled, use a pizza cutter to form lasagna "noodles."

While your "noodles" are baking, make the sauce:
Brown ground beef in a sauce pan.  Drain fat.  Add the tomato sauce, sweetener, and spices and simmer.
While the sauce is simmering, shred the cheese.

To prepare lasagna:
1.  Spread a thin layer of sauce on the lasagna pan
2.  Spread 1 layer of "noodles" on top of the sauce
3.  Layer more sauce on top of noodles
4.  Spread a thin layer of cottage cheese on top of sauce
5.  Add mozzarella cheese on top of cottage cheese
6.  Repeat layering 3 more times, then top with remaining sauce and remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake, uncovered, until browned, 45 to 55 minutes at 350*.

Chocolate Cake

I finally got to make my chocolate cake.  I must say, it is DE-LISH.  I modified the recipe from mariahealth@blogspot.com to fit me a little better.  To see the original recipe, click here.    Below is my version, tweaked just a bit be a little more "Stefanie Friendly".  This is a good enough recipe to serve to anyone, any time.  Noone would even wonder if there was anything different about it.  Yep, it can still be our little secret.  **wink***

Chocolate Birthday Cake

1 1/4 cup Truvia, Splenda, or my favorite, Ideal Sweetener
1 3/4 cups peanut flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk (the original recipe called for unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
1/2 cup coconut oil or butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

1/3 cup butter
2 ounces cream cheese
3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cups Truvia, Splenda, or my favorite, Ideal Sweetener  (ground in coffee grinder into a powder)
1/3 cup milk (or almond milk if preferred)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 9 inch cake pans.

In a medium bowl, stir together the Truvia, peanut flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, almond milk, oil and vanilla, mix for 3 minutes with an electric mixer. Stir in the boiling water by hand. Pour evenly into the two prepared pans.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to cool completely.

To make the frosting, use the second set of ingredients. Cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Stir in the cocoa and sweetener (powdered) alternately with the milk and vanilla. Beat to a spreading consistency.

Cover the top of each layer with frosting, then stack them onto a serving plate. Frost the outside of the cake. Serves 12.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving):
Using white flour, skim milk and sugar = 655 calories, 111 carbs, 5.8 fiber
Using peanut flour, almond milk and Truvia = 314 calories, 13.8 carbs, 7.1 fiber

White Lasagna

**Another awesome recipe from http://mariahealth.blogspot.com/2011/01/white-lasagna.html
Seriously, this girl is amazing.

Noodles:
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
6 eggs

Filling:
3/4 cup minced shallots
8 TBS butter
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
3 TBS cream cheese
2 cups unsweetened unflavored almond milk
2 cup chicken stock
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/4 pound grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 cup), divided
1 serving of "noodles"
OPTIONAL: chicken, mushrooms, or my favorite addition CRAB!

Noodles: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 2 large lasagna pans. In a large bowl mix 3 cups of the cheddar with the eggs. Place into prepared lasagna pans into a very thin layer. Bake in oven for 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown...don't under bake though. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Once cooled, use a pizza cutter to form lasagna "noodles."

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Cook shallots in butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 4 minutes. Add nutmeg, then slowly whisk in cream cheese, almond milk and stock. Bring to a boil, whisking, then simmer, stirring occasionally, just until sauce lightly coats back of spoon, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and cool to warm, stirring occasionally. Stir in eggs, sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 cup cheese.

Spread about 1 1/4 cups sauce over bottom of an 11- by 8-inch baking dish. Cover with a layer of 3 "noodles", then additional fillings such as crab. Repeat layering 3 more times, then top with remaining sauce and remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake, uncovered, until browned, 45 to 55 minutes.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per cup):
White Flour Noodles = 246 calories, 43 carbs, 5 fiber
"Healthified" Noodles = 297 calories, 1 carb, 0 fiber