Dark Chocolate Orange Cranberry Crackels_(GF / Vegan)

-beat that hersheys-

do you remember halloween? no i don't mean the college through mid-to-late 20's halloweens of dressing up like some form of your morally repressed inner personality (aka "sexy kitty cat", sexy cowboy, nurse or any profession / animal with the prefix sexy attached), going out to a public party and doing vaguely shameful things, like meowing (if you still do this, stop). not that i've ever been so shamed, being from louisiana we don't have such things.

but no, that is not the halloween in which i am referring. i'm talking about putting a tutu on your face and dressing up like a sunflower. that's right - take a moment and indulge yourself...

-yes that is a tutu and no, i don't know what it looks like i'm about to puke-

yes, that is me at, i believe, age 9. mom, dad you wanna back me on that? and if you were wondering no, i am not wearing pants and yes, those are green socks over my shoes. and btw former self: sunflowers aren't usually pink. okay so we've all had a good chuckle on my behalf.

down to the really important stuff. halloween candy. that's why we dressed up like fools, parading ourselves around the neighborhood as shameful entertainment for the adults and stood at strangers' doors so they could ask stupid questions like "and what are you suppose to be". what do you mean?! i'm a sunflower you idiot! immediately your confidence begins to fade because you begin to realize, huh maybe i don't look as cool as i though i would. its a long night ahead little girl - and your socks are going to rip 10 minutes in. BUT, it was all so worth it once that bucket of cheap sugar is dumped out onto the living room floor. woo hoo! my favorites where (and still to this day) the mini chocolate bites - such as the ever wonderful krackel.

chocolate and crunchy somethings, need i say more? yum! but you know me better than that, i'm much to much of a crazed foodie to just go out and buy a bag of bite sized hershey chocolates. besides once you try my version, believe me you forget about the brand name krackels. because i am a serious chocolate purist i used seriously dark chocolate (90%), do not do this unless you know you can handle it. i am calling out for semi or bitter-sweet here (35 - 50%) try that first. i used crispy brown rice but you can use rice krispies if its easier. the addition of orange oil and the tart cranberries are just "adult" enough that i can see myself putting these out as a "finger food" dessert-ish item at a dinner party or better yet, a halloween party.

and fyi - these are rightfully called crack-els. honest to god; i ate half the batch. it started with "just the scraps" and moved on to just shamelessly eating face sized pieces. go ahead and calculate the chocolate (90%) load for that, about 30 minutes later i felt like i actually had just smoked crack , i ended up vacuuming my wood floor.

DARK CHOCOLATE ORANGE CRANBERRY CRACKELS

(gluten free & vegan)

* 8oz semi-sweet (or bitter sweet) chocolate

*2 cups crispy brown rice

*1/4 tsp orange oil

*1/3c chopped cranberries

*line a baking sheet with parchment

*over a double boiler melt the chocolate, stirring just until smooth

*take off heat and stir in the orange oil

*in a separate bowl combine the crispy rice and cranberries

*add the chocolate to the crispy rice, stir to completely combine

*evenly spread the mixture on prepared pan, place in frig for an hour to let chill

*break into pieces or cut into squares with knife

**flavor variations ideas:

coconut and chopped apricots: 1/2tsp coconut extract & 1/3c chopped apricots

cardamon & ginger: 1tsp ground cardamon & 1/3c chopped crystalized ginger

ancho chile & coffee: 1 tsp chile pwd & 1/4c coffee bits, about the size of cocoa nibs.

PPS: i also made a "pre workout snack" version with a mix of grapenuts and kashi puffed grains cereal - i love, love, love it! not very sweet and just guiltless enough you can consider it an energy snack.

Avocado Black Bean Brownies (GF)

-need i say more?-

i don't think i really need to say this but, i adore chocolate. the darker, stronger and closer to just being the raw bean the more i love it. every morning i have a square of no less than 90% and a spoonful of raw nibs - yes just the pure roasted bean - in my yogurt, or whatever ever else happens to fall prey to my morning gluttony. come to think of it i enjoy just about everything like this; tarlike coffee, oversteeped black tea, the tartest plain yogurt i can find, golden berries (if you've ever had one you would know what i mean), unsweetened nut milks... i can go on like this forever. does that say something about me? probably but who cares.
much to josh's dismay; over the years of consuming mass amounts of dark bitter food has left my taste buds accustomed to find the sweeteness in just about everything - i suppose a little something like being blind and hearing everything. so thusly there have emerged two forms of desserts that come out of my kitchen: normal for him and crazy for me. this is recipe is a bit more on my side - and i loooooove it. really its just a spin on the orginal black bean brownie i made a while back. i found this recipe on cara's cravings blog a while back and switched around the sugar content a bit, but that's about it. i've been muching down on these guys before a run and they are perfect little package of everything i need; scrumptious, full of protien and sustainable fat - oh did i mention chocolate.
my only suggestion to you: add a little more sugar, trust me. while i like everything dark and bitter i know i am basically alone so i would up it to a healthy 1/2c evaporated cane sugar; i am using palm sugar which isn't as sweet as cain. below is my exact recipe - unchanged. if you do make these let me know what you think!

BLACK BEAN AVOCADO BROWNIES

1 1/2c cooked, drained black beans (if canned, rinse well)
3 eggs
1/4c agave syrup
1/2 ripe avocado
1/4c + 2tbs cocoa powder
pinch salt
1 tbs vanilla
1/3c palm sugar
2tsp espresso powder

*preheat oven to 350F, grease an 8x8 pan
*in a food processor comebine the beans, eggs, agave and avocado until completely smooth.
*add the rest of the ingredients and continue to blend until totally smooth.
*pour into the prepared pan and cook 30 minutes, until toothpick is clean.
*let cool before slicing and munching - they actually get better with a 12hour rest.

Agave Marshmallows

- pancreas friendly-er -

marshmallows! need i say more really? maybe so and i know you love to read my meaningless ramblings.

to be totally honest, unlike a certain guy i know who adores eating them stale out of the bag (i don't know how he does it either) i can't say that i love marshmallows - at least not as a final product. don't get me wrong there is plenty of love for them as ingredients in other wonderful treats. i mean come on; rice krispie treats, hot chocolate.... SMORES!!!! if you don't know it already i lose all sanity when smores enter the picture, any picture. angels in heaven ride around on clouds made of smores - i've seen it.

ok so back to reality. i've conquered the standard marshmallows already (here and here) but in my ongoing quest to make not so healthy treats less detrimental to my loved ones pancreases' i targeted this cloudy puff. if you've made these treats before you know its really just a mix of gelatin, sugar and air, nothing really wrong with that but lets try it out with less scary agave shall we? maybe my diabetic friends can even have a bite?!

i had my doubts mostly because normally the sugar is brought to a high enough temp that gives it enough structure to help hold itself (think caramels, fudge etc) and then the gelatin steps in a they share the load. but with this agave recipe that i found at globalfoods lets the gelatin do all the heavy lifting. i was quite suspicious but had faith and forged through, whipping the hell out of the mixture like usual and to my delight they came out quite right! my only note: do not, despite what you may find online, try and make rice krispie treats out of these - just trust me it won't work and you'll be angry (not that i have a temper or anything). do make smores though - any and every chance you get.

AGAVE MARSHMALLOWS

1c agave

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin

1 tsp vanilla

6 tbs cold water

1/4 tsp salt

*heavily dust an 8x8 pan with 1:1 mix of cornstarch and powdered sugar

*combine the gelatin and water. let the gelatin bloom a few minutes

*place the gelatin mixture over hot water and melt to liquid (or in microwave a for a few seconds)

*add the agave & salt to the gelatin

*immediately begin whipping the mixture with electirc beater. continue for about 10-12 minutes until become very thick and stiff (you know what fluff is like don't you?)

*add the vanilla and whip another minute

* pour the thick mixture into the prepared pan

*let set for 3-4 hours, turn out onto a heavy (with same 1:1 cornstarch sugar mix) dusted counter and cut as you want.

*toss the individual pieces in the powdery mix so they don't stick to each other.

-when you think you can't whip anymore, whip some more-

Sesame Peanut Caramel Crispies

-someone help me-

somehow i have a huge bag of sesame seeds in my cabinet. to be totally honest i am not really sure how it got there, or how long its been there. i do really like sesame seeds so surely it was bought on a whim one shopping day, but really who needs a pound of sesame seeds? well evidently the past me knew that one day i would run into a recipe like this and need a good hefty amount of the tasty little seeds. if only my former self would have know that creating these would spawn a totally addiction. i am addicted.

firstly, palm sugar: this is one of my more recent obsessions. basically its a sweetener made from the blessed coconut tree (if it were up to me everything would come from the coconut tree) and has a very low GI level. aka its good for diabetic and well, everyone. thais use palm sugar a lot but, unlike my crystalized form they keep it in small bricks or disks.

1 1/2c palm sugar

1c honey

1c coconut milk

1 1/4c roasted sesame (reserve 1/2c)

1c roasted unsalted peanuts

2c puffed unsweetened cereal (such as kashi)

1 1/2c crispy brown rice cereal (or rice krispies if you can find)

*in a large pot bring the sugar and honey to a boil, stirring just to make sure its not burning

*lower heat a tad and let boil a few minutes until reaches the soft ball stage (220F) or until a drop in water remains a ball - not dissolving

*pour in the coconut milk, stir to combine and bring back to a boil

*again let the mixture reach a soft ball stage

*take off heat

*add in the remaining ingredients (minus the reserved seeds) mixing well

*pour into a parchment lined 8x8 pan, even out with your spoon

*let cool completely, turn onto a cutting board and slice into about 24 pieces

*dip each of the slices bottoms in the reserved sesame seeds (trust me you will want to do this)

*try to control yourself as you inhale these

Apricot & Coconut Almond Tea Cakes_GF

-gluten free apricot and coconut tea cake, made specifically for the best of snackers-

i finally had a chance to make another recipe out of the gluten-free almond flour cookbook - i love this book btw. every saturday or sunday morning for the past month or so i pull out this little treasure trove and flip through it while my weekend pancakes are getting all heavenly and golden. every time i avow that i will make this or that. then get diverted by something else. but alas - i did it! i made these delicious little tea cakes. suppose i don't have to tell you that they really are perfect with a little cup of tea, but i will anyways - or i guess i already did. hmm.

these have no added sugar other than the natural sweetness of the apricots as well as the more subtle coconut and almonds. they are kinda perfect to me. these can be classified as those grand treats that aren't sweet but yet leave a sweetness in your mouth that satisfies any sweet tooth you have. like i said, pretty damned perfect.

the one note i have: make sure and use good quality, fresh dried apricots - make sure there's no funny business in the ingredients like sulphur dioxide which is rampant in dried fruits particularly apricots. not only does it diminishes vitamins in foods but will spur an asthma attack and possibly cause stomach problems in people lucky enough to be like me. i always stick to organic Turkish apricots, brown and all - yum!

if i've totally freaked you out about apricots (understandably) then i am sure you can substitute any dried fruit -- i would say fig. if you do let me know how it turns out.

APRICOT & COCONUT ALMOND TEA CAKES_GF

1c dried apricots

1c unsweetened shredded coconut

2c blanched almond flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 egg

1 tbs vanilla

*preheat oven to 350F, grease an 8x8 pan

*in a food processor chop the apricots and coconut to a crumbly mixture

*add in the almond flour, pulsing

*add in salt & baking soda, pulse a bit to combine

*add in the egg an vanilla, blend to combine

*empty out into the prepared pan and pat down to evenly distribute

*bake 20-25 minutes until golden

*let cook completely (about 30-45 minutes) before cutting

Marshmallows II

this is a revised (and dare i say better) version of my homemade marshmallows. really the only difference it that i used a bit of powdered egg whites to really lighten them up - you know because marshmallows are known for being so heavy and dense. i have this problem that i feel like i always have to cover marshmallows in chocolate to complete the treat but don't let my addition to the black gold fool you. these babies are just as scrumptious as they are and don't even ask about the hot chocolate you can make with these!

2 envelopes gelatin

1/2c cold water

1c sugar

1/4c light corn syrup

pinch salt

2 tsp powdered egg whites + 2 tbs water

1tbs vanilla

powdered sugar

*lightly grease (with spray) a 8x8 pan, evenly dust with powered sugar

*in a small bowl beat together the powdered egg white and water, continue to beat until you get soft peaks. set aside.

*in a medium sized bowl combine the gelatin and 1/4c of the cold water, let sit about 5 minutes

*meanwhile in a sauce pan bring the sugar and remaining 1/4c water to a boil over medium high heat

*insert a candy thermometer and let the boiling mixture come to 240F

*once it has reached 24oF immediately take off the heat, with your mixer running slowly begin to pour in the boiling mixture

*continue to beat for about 10-11 minutes (will begin to look more like "fluff")

*beat in the egg whites and vanilla for another minute or two

*pour the thick mixture (very thick) into the prepared pan and sprinkle about 3 tbs - 1/4c powdered sugar over the top .

*let set, covered with plastic at room temp for at least 4-5 hours

*when ready turn out the -now cube- of marshmallow and with a pizza cutter slice into desired sized squares. I used small round cookie cutters but you can do as you please.

*toss all cut pieces with more powdered sugar to make sure they don't all stick together. will keep for weeks in airtight container.

Persimmon Chips

see previous post concerning why / how this fruit chip creation has come into being. i found this recipe from a fellow foodie over at vanillagarlic. let me just explain that i only had the pleasure of eat 2 or 3. after i went to bed josh unapologetically consumed every last one of these chips - that's right i've found a way to trick him into eating 2 whole persimmons. of-course this time around i wish that at least a handful would have remained - i really liked these especially after discovering that they only cost 50 cents each. so in other words this was a $1 snack food. you can't beat that - you just can't.

PERSIMMON CHIPS

2 Fuyu persimmons

1 lime - juiced

1c sugar

1c water

*preheat oven to 200F, line pans w/ parchment

*slice the persimmons w/ a mandolin set to "2" or 1/16"

* sprinkle the lime juice over the slices

* in saute pan bring sugar and water to boil, then bring down to a simmer

*add persimmons and simmer for 2 minutes, take off heat

*with slotted spoon remove the slices and place on prepared pans

*cook in oven for 2 1/2 hours - flipping over each slice half way through. turn oven off and let the chip dry out for a few hours.

Apple Chips

if you just so happen to have read more than one entry into this blog you would probably know that one of my life long quests is to find a way to get josh to eat something somewhat healthy. snacks, as with most of us, are his demise. after i head off to bed he stays up for hours munching down on anything that can be considered bite sized, is loaded with salt and/or sugar and is easily on hand. terrible! i wake up in the morning ( pre-sunrise) and recount his night via the empty candy wrappers and cracker crumbs. *insert sign here*

hmmm, what can be done here? well fruit chips are always a hit around this apt - so i see no reason why i shouldn't be making tasty little treats here in my own kitchen. these apple chips are so tasty! i've honestly never had an apple chip that had so much flavor. the key here is to "marinate" the apple slices in the simple syrup and then making sure to drain and pat pseudo-dry before putting them in the oven.

APPLE CHIPS

1 Fuji apple

1 1/2 - 2 tsp lemon juice

1c sugar

1c water

*bring the sugar and water to a boil in a large skillet, bring back down to a simmer for about 1minute, turn off heat and let cool slightly

*slice the apples with a mandolin set to "2.0" or about 1/16"

*sprinkle lemon juice over the apples

*place apple slices in the simple syrup and let marinate for at least 2 hours

*preheat oven to 200F, line baking sheet(s) w/ parchment

*remove the slices one at a time from the syrup and lightly pat dry

*place the slices in a single layer on the prepared pan and place in oven

*let bake for 2 hours, flipping each slice halfway through

*turn the heat off and let dry in oven for about 2-3 hours until crisp

Rosemary Fig Almond Crackers

the newest indulgence in our apt is crackers. i think we are somewhere around a box of kashi a week. so that's my usual cue to get in the kitchen, be weird and make them homemade - and ultra nutritious. i found this recipe from elanaspantry and got to work. these guys are gluten free and pretty addictive. the only thing i -personally- would change is cut back a tad on the salt, but that's just me being sensitive otherwise they are delish. josh said they "tasted good" and our friend dom seemed to honestly be infatuated with them; sneaking back and forth to the kitchen to snag more.

ROSEMARY FIG ALMOND CRACKERS

1 1/2 c almond flour

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary

3-4 black mission figs, chopped

1 egg

1 tbs olive oil

*preheat oven to 350F, line a baking sheet with parchment

*in a bowl whisk together the almond flour, salt, rosemary and figs

*stir in the egg and oil to well combined and forms a ball

*roll out the dough between two sheets of wax paper to 1/8" thick

*cut into 2" squares

*cook for 10-15 minutes until browned

*let cool completely