Sweets Glorious Sweets!!!

Who doesn't like sweets???? But I don't like to give them to my family if they are full of sugar and packed full of preservatives...... So what do you do?? Well for me I love to look up healthy recipes and try them out.. So here are some ones I tried and really like. 

The first one is Brownies!! Who doesn't like brownies?  Ooey gooey chocolate goodness. I have a lot of picky eaters in this house and the worst ones are Coltin my 15 year old son and my mother. So it has to pass their taste test.....

This one is made with black beans and it's delicious!!! I didn't tell anyone what is was made of at first until they tried it.  Everyone loved it.  SHHHH don't tell the kids it's full of protein and good stuff they will never know..

 Don't they look scrumptious!!! 

Black Bean Fudge Brownies 

Serves: 16 brownies

 Ingredients 

15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

 3 eggs 

3 Tbsp oil (coconut)

 1 tsp vanilla

 ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

 ⅔ cup coconut sugar

 ½ tsp baking powder 

¼ tsp salt

 ½ cup semi­sweet chocolate chips or good quality dark chocolate bar chopped

Instructions 1. Puree black beans in food processor or blender (or mash with a fork). 2. Mix black beans, eggs, oil, and vanilla. 3. In a separate bowl mix cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, salt. 

4. Mix wets and dries, then stir in chocolate chips. 5. Pour into a greased 8x8 or 9x9 pan and bake about 30 to 40 minutes at 350 degrees F (176 C), until center is no longer gooey (test with a toothpick or knife). Time will be shorter for a larger pan size. 6. Allow to cool slightly before cutting. Nutrition Information Serving size: 1 brownie Calories: 146 Fat: 6g Carbohydrates: 21g Sodium: 47mg Fiber: 1.8g Protein: 4g

The next one is Salted Dark Chocolate Peanut Bark

What can I say is that the only thing I don't like about this recipe is that it needs to be doubled. :) I love anything that is sweet and salty....I also love dark chocolate!! It has everything I need in a sweet treat... Sometimes you just need a little sweet treat after a meal and this will hit the spot... It has it all!

The flaked salt makes it so yummy.  I thought maybe I put too much on but I wished I would of put a little more. The salt with the chocolate is so delicious....I'm keeping this one just for me :)
Here is the Recipe
Salted Dark Chocolate Peanut Bark
Ingredients
4 ounces dark/bittersweet chocolate chopped
1 Cup roasted unsalted peanuts
flaky sea salt

Instructions

1. Melt chocolate in a double boiler.  Alternatively place, chocolate in a bowl that fits inside a saucepan.  Place just enough water in saucepan to barely touch bottom of bowl. Bring to a boil,then reduce heat and place bowl of chocolate on top of saucepan and stir until melted. Remove chocolate from heat and stir in peanuts.  Spread chocolate peanut mixture on plastic lined baking sheet.  Sprinkle with a little flaky sea salt. Place in refrigerator until chocolate is hardened.  Break into pieces and store in mason jars or airtight container. Enjoy!!

To keep with the sweet and salty theme I made some Clean Caramel Corn.  Our family LOVES popcorn.  We eat it all the time....Almost everyday either for a snack in the kids lunch or at night and especially when we watch a movie.  So I am always trying new healthy recipes. This one is a keeper!!

Clean Caramel Corn {healthy, vegan, delicious!}

No refined sugars required for this delicious recipe! Just need a little maple syrup and coconut oil! You will be amazed at how amazing this caramel corn is.

YIELD: 8 CUPS POPPED, APPROXIMATELY

 

PREP TIME: 30 MINUTES

 

COOK TIME: 8 MINUTES

 

TOTAL TIME: 38 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 tablespoons coconut oil, divided
• 1/2 cup popcorn kernels
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place 1 tablespoon coconut oil into deep pot or pan with tight fitting lid and melt over medium high heat. Add in popcorn kernels and cover. Shake pan back and forth every 20 seconds or so to heat kernels evenly. After about 2 minutes, kernels should start to pop. Once popping slows, remove popcorn from heat and pour into large bowl.
2. In a small saucepan, place remaining coconut oil with maple syrup and salt. Boil 2 minutes, then remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Drizzle over popcorn and toss to coat evenly. Spread out onto some parchment paper to cool 30 minutes or so. Serve.

Try it and let me know what you think.

Look at these Happy faces.  They just ate a cupcake and loved every bite....SHHHHHH they don't know that it was healthy and that yummy chocolate frosting was made with avocados.  YES that is what I said AVOCADOS... I am not a big cake person and don't like frosting because I think it is too sweet but this one is Delicious... My avocados should of been a little more ripe to give it a smoother texture but know one seemed to notice.  I also made a raspberry filling for the middle to make it super yummy. 

Coconut Cupcakes

Ingredients:

3/4 C sifted coconut flour

1 t baking powder

1 t salt

6 eggs

3/4 C light agave nectar

1/2 C coconut oil

3 T almond milk

1 T pure vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350. In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, baking powder, and salt until blended.  Whisk in the eggs, agave nectar, oil, milk and vanilla until completely blended and smooth. It doesn't look like regular batter.

 My pan has had a lot of love through the years....

 Dived the batter equally between lined muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Let coll for 10 minutes on wire rack.

 Remove some of the middle and add filling if you like

Ingredients 2 ripe avocados med/large, peeled and pitted, 2 ½ small avocados 1/2 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder 1/2 cup maple syrup 2 Tbsp. coconut oil (melted coconut oil will give you a silkier texture but un-melted works okay too) 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract 1 tsp. ground cinnamon optional Instructions 1. Add avocado to a food processor fitted with an S blade and blend until smooth. 2. Add remaining ingredients and blend again until smooth. You may need to stop and scrape the sides with a spatula a couple of times. (Add the maple syrup on top of the cocoa powder to keep the dust down.) 3. Use immediately or store in fridge until ready to use. Frosting should be okay in the fridge for a couple of days.

The cupcakes has a delectable coconut taste and is more on the pound cake side. The frosting is light, creamy and chocolaty. But not too sweet more like a whip cream frosting. I hope you enjoy these recipes and enjoy cooking healthy for your family like I do.