Homemade Bounty Bars (With Real Food Ingredients)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (250 ml) of full-fat coconut milk
• 2 C.  shredded coconut (it was about 130 g coconut)
• 2 Tbsp. coconut oil or butter (heaped)
• 1/4 C. – 1/2 C. maple syrup
• Optional: 1/2 tsp. non-gm lecithin granules (this just helps to emulsify the coconut milk & oil together- it is an optional ingredient).
• 200 g dark chocolate

How to:

1. In a saucepan add the coconut milk, coconut oil, maple syrup & lecithin (if using). Heat on medium- low and stir until it all it dissolves together. Leave to cool to room temperature.
2. Stir in the shredded coconut. Pour this mixture into a tin lined with wax paper.
3.  Leave to set in the fridge. When set (it should be fairly firm), slice into squares and then place in the freezer to completely harden (this makes it easier to handle and to keep them stable when covering in chocolate).
4. Temper your chocolate (see below for details on how to do that). This helps your chocolate get a nice crack and shine and to help set the chocolate on your coconut squares (and it makes sure you don’t burn it).
5. Cover your coconut squares with chocolate: place your coconut squares in the middle of the bowl of chocolate. Cover the square with chocolate using a big spoon to make sure it is completely covered. Lift the chocolate covered coconut square of the bowl. Shake a bit of excess chocolate off on the inside of the bowl.
6. Place your chocolates on a piece of baking paper until set. Enjoy!

Tempering Chocolate- You Will Need:

• a metal bowl (wider than the saucepan)
• a smaller bowl, filled with water and ice
• a saucepan, filled with 3 cm of water
• a metal or plastic spoon (not wooden)
• a cooking thermometer
• your chocolate of choice, chopped

How to temper the chocolate:

(Here’s a great video on how to temper chocolate):

1. Place your water onto a boil then turn down to a simmer and turn off the heat.
2. Place your metal bowl over the now hot water (and heat turned off) and add the chocolate. Stir the chocolate with your metal spoon until it melts. Put your thermometer in and make sure it doesn’t go above 48 degrees Celsius (118 F).
3. When it reaches 48 take it off the hot saucepan and put it in your ice water bowl. Keep stirring. Wait till it cools down to 26 degrees.
4. When it has cooled down, turn your saucepan on again and place your metal bowl over the saucepan, now with the heat on. Put the thermometer into the chocolate and wait till the temperature of the chocolate reaches 48. When it’s at that temperature, turn off the heat. Your chocolate is now ready to use!
5. Simply place your coconut square into the chocolate with a fork and completely cover it. Tap your fork with the covered coconut square against the side of the bowl so excess chocolate comes off. Then place your chocolates on a lined tray until the chocolates harden!

Tips for tempering chocolate:

Make sure you don’t get any water or steam in your chocolate at any stage while tempering. Water= chocolate death!

Use only metal or plastic spoons to stir the chocolate.

If you let your chocolate go over 48 degrees C then its gone- you can’t use it any more.

It’s a good idea if you have one to use a thermometer to test the temperature when you’re heating a cooling the chocolate. I used a digital thermometer.

Having said all that, you don’t really need to temper the chocolate- but it does help to coat the coconut squares properly.

Baileys Marshmallow Shots

Just stick a fork through the marshmallow, being careful not to stab through the bottom. Then toast slowly over high heat, browning evenly on all sides, you can use a gas stove to brown the marshmallows. When the mallow’s perfectly browned (and you’ve sent a few flaming mallows sailing down your gullet), set it on a plate to cool. The marshmallow will naturally sink in on itself.

Then fill the cavity with your favorite liquor. We recommend Bailey’s or Kahlua for a sweet dessert treat, but feel free to play things up and try something new.

Oh, and make sure to toss the shot back as soon as you pour it! Otherwise you’ll be left with a soggy marshmallow and no booze (and nobody wants that). 

Home Made Chimichangas

Home Made Chimichangas

Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 white onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, diced (remove seeds for less heat)
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Kosher salt
1 small tomato, chopped, plus more for topping
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1/4 cup sour cream
1 15-ounce can refried beans
4 10-inch flour tortillas
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese, plus more for topping
Mexi-sauce, for topping (see below)
Shredded lettuce, for topping
Mexican rice, for serving
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Melt the butter with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a skillet; transfer to a bowl. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the skillet. Add the onion, garlic and jalapeno and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, cinnamon and 1 teaspoon salt; toast 30 seconds. Add the tomato and cilantro and cook until slightly dry, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken and sour cream and warm through. Remove from the heat.

Brush a rimmed baking sheet with some of the butter-oil mixture. Spread 2 tablespoons refried beans down the center of each tortilla, leaving a 2-inch border on both ends. Top with 1 cup chicken mixture and 1/4 cup cheese. Fold in the ends and roll up.

Put the chimichangas seam-side down on the baking sheet; brush with the butter-oil mixture. Bake 8 to 10 minutes per side, brushing again after you flip. Top with the sauce, more cheese, lettuce and tomato. Serve with rice and the remaining beans.

Make Chi-Chi's Mexi-sauce:

Saute 1/2 cup chopped onion and 2 chopped garlic cloves in a skillet with vegetable oil. Add a pinch each of chili powder, cumin, sugar and salt; cook 30 seconds. Stir in two 4-ounce cans chopped green chiles (drained and rinsed); cook 2 minutes. Add 1 cup chicken broth and simmer until thickened, then puree. Stir in 1/4 cup chopped cilantro.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/almost-famous-chimichangas-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

Cacao mint smoothie

Cacao mint smoothie

A smoothie that tastes like dessert but is oh-so healthy. What's not to love?

 

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups of coconut water

2 handfuls of spinach leaves

3 stems of mint leaves (leaves only)

4 tbsp of coconut milk

1 banana (frozen)

1?4 of an avocado

3 ice cubes

2 teaspoons of Vital Greens powder

1 teaspoon of honey/rice malt syrup (or to taste)

Cacao nibs, to sprinkle

Method

1. Place all ingredients in a blender and blend on high for 1-2 minutes.

2. Check to see if more sweetener or liquid is required and blend again.

3. Serve immediately or refrigerate until needed.

4. Don’t forget to sprinkle cacao nibs on top!

Low Fat Christmas Recipe - Cranberry Apple Glazed Pork

Cranberry Apple Glazed Pork

Glazed with a seasonal cranberry apple sauce, this lean pork roast makes an ideal holiday centerpiece. Serve with roasted vegetables and low fat mashed potatoes or with steamed green beans and wild rice.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 tsp ground sage
• 1/2 tsp ground thyme
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 3-pound boneless top-loin pork roast, trimmed
• 1 16-ounce can cranberry sauce
• 1/2 cup apple cider

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Combine herbs and seasonings to make a rub. Sprinkle mixture over all sides of the meat. Place pork in roasting pan and roast for 1 hour.

Combine cranberry sauce and apple cider in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened. Spoon 1/2 a cup of the sauce over the meat to glaze. Return meat to the oven and roast for a further 30-40 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 155 degrees. Remove pork from the oven and cover with foil. Let stand for 15-20 minutes. The meat will continue to cook and reach a safe 160 degrees while it rests. Serve with remaining sauce on the side.

Serves 10-12

Per Serving: Calories 218, Calories from Fat 55, Total Fat 6.1g (sat 2.1g), Cholesterol 64mg, Sodium 62mg, Carbohydrate 15.9g, Fiber 0.4g, Protein 24.8g

LOW CARB - Healthy Eggs Benedict

LOW CARB - Healthy Eggs Benedict

Ingrediants

• 2 Cups of baby spinach
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 teaspoon garlic
• 1 slice of bacon
• 1/2 an avocado sliced
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon of hollandaise sauce 
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of grated cheese

Method

1. Place oil garlic baby spinach and mushrooms into the frypan saute while stirring. 
2. Slice the bacon into two pieces, fry until cooked. 
3. Place the baby spinach and mushrooms on the plate, top with the bacon and grated cheese. 
4. Cook the egg and place it on top add hollandaise sauce and avocado and serve. 

Choc Strawberry Santa Hats - Cute Recipes For Xmas!

Ingredients (makes 24)

• 100g red glace cherries, finely chopped
• 400g sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup (250g) brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons glucose syrup
• 125g butter, chopped
• 180g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
• 1/3 cup (30g) shredded coconut
• 380g white chocolate, roughly chopped
• 1/3 cup (125ml) cream
• 18 strawberries, stems removed

Method

Line a 20cm by 30cm slice pan with baking paper.

Place condensed milk, sugar, syrup and butter in a saucepan over a low heat. Cook, stirring, without boiling for 10 minutes until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is glossy.

Increase heat to medium-low and bring to a simmer, stirring. Cook, stirring constantly, for 6 minutes or until the mixture thickens and comes away from the sides of the saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in dark chocolate, cherries and coconut until combined and the chocolate has melted.

Working quickly, pour the mixture into the prepared slice pan and smooth the top. Be careful when trying to lick the remaining fudge from the saucepan as it will be hot… Refrigerate fudge for 30 minutes until slightly firm. The fudge should only be about 1cm high in the pan – if you are making the fudge on its own and wanted it to be a thicker slab, just use a smaller slice pan.

Using a 5cm round cutter, cut rounds of the fudge and place onto a plate or tray lined with baking paper. Set rounds aside.

To make whipped chocolate ganache for the hats, place the white chocolate and cream in a small saucepan and stir constantly over a low heat until chocolate has melted and mixture turns glossy. Place into a mixing bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Once ganache has fully cooled, beat at high speed for 2 minutes or until mixture resembles smooth whipped cream.

Place a tablespoon of ganache onto a round of chocolate fudge and use a spoon to smooth to the edge. Place a strawberry cut side down into the ganache and press down firmly. Then roll a small amount of the ganache into a ball (roughly 1cm in diameter) and place firmly onto the top of the strawberry. Repeat this process to make a scrumptious collection of Santa Hats. Refrigerate “Santa Hats” for 2 hours for fudge to go firm and ganache to set. Enjoy!