Raw German Chocolate Fudge

German chocolate + fudge = best idea ever. I wasn't specifically going for german chocolate but I'm not complaining that I ended up where I did. This does require a bit of prep and refrigerator wait time. The end result is amazing, though, so I recommend being patient! This recipe makes around 12 small fudge pieces depending on your pan size.

Fudge 
 Ingredients:
2 c. dry cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours
1/2 c. cocoa powder
1/4 c. coconut oil, liquified
1/4 c. dates, pitted
1/4 c. liquid sweetener (I used maple syrup)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Instructions:
- Place all ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth, scraping the sides down every minute or so. Also, feel free to add your liquid sweetener in slowly and taste as you go. I like a richer fudge taste but everyone has different preferences!
- Place parchment paper in a pan of any size. The smaller you go, the thicker your fudge will be. I chose an odd shaped pan that I have that's slightly larger than a bread loaf pan.
- Spoon thick mixture into pan. It will be hard to spread at this point. Spread as much as you can and pop mixture into freezer.

 - Place used food processor to the side. Do not wash it just yet!


German Chocolate Topping
Ingredients:
1/2 c. liquid sweetener (I, again, used maple syrup)
1/4 c. coconut oil, liquified
1/4 c. cocoa powder
1/2 c. walnuts or pecans (I used a mixture of both)

Instructions:
- Using the same food processor you just used, place all ingredients inside. Having a little bit of the leftover fudge inside your bowl is a good thing!
- Blend until mixture is just mixed and nuts are just barely broken down. This should only take a few seconds.

 - Take your fudge out of the freezer. This should have hardened up slightly and will be much easier to spread. Use your hands or a clean spatula and spread it out evenly and smoothly.
- Spoon your topping onto your fudge and smooth this out as well.

 - Pop into the freezer for at least 30 minutes then in the refrigerator for at least an hour until eaten. This is actually best after sitting chilled overnight, but I suppose an hour will do if you just can't wait!

This recipe is nice because it's easy to play around with. Next time, I may try adding an avocado or two and making a thicker fudge. I didn't want to add in shredded coconut to the topping because of all the coconut oil but feel free to do so if you don't mind all that coconut! This fudge is also very decadent so eat slowly and enjoy every bite.

I'm actually eating a piece as I type this. Mmm.

Chewy Granola Bars

We've really been trying to make more food items at home rather than buying them. I've been making a lot of burritos, soups, bread, salsa, etc. I thought today I could try something that I haven't done before -- granola bars. These were my first attempt and they turned out quite nicely I must say. This recipe makes enough bars to fit in a 9 x 13 pan (I cut 18 bars).

Ingredients:
3 c. old fashioned oats (or 2 c. oats and 1 c. puffed cereal)*
1 c. nuts or seeds (I used a combination of chopped almonds, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds)
1 c. chopped dried fruit (I used only dates)
1 c. liquid sweetener (I used 1/2 c. coconut nectar and 1/2 c. maple syrup)
1/2 c. nut butter (I used all natural chunky peanut butter)
2 tbsp. Earth Balance
1 tsp. vanilla extract

optional toppings (I used chocolate chips)

*if making gluten-free, make sure your oats are certified GF.

Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a 9 x 13 pan, toss in your oats and nuts and mix thoroughly. Heat this in the oven, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. If using puffed cereal, you'll add this in at the end with the dried fruit.

- Meanwhile, using a small pot, heat your liquid sweetener, nut butter, and Earth Balance on medium heat until just melted. Add in your vanilla extract. Make sure to stir this occasionally as well.
- When your oats and liquids are ready, mix them together in a large mixing bowl. Add in your dried fruits and stir in. You can just use a spoon for this.
- Lower heat to 300 degrees.
- Place parchment paper in your 9 x 13 pan and spoon in your mixture. You'll want to flatten your mixture down to make even bars. It was easiest for me to use another piece of parchment paper on top and press down with my hands.

- Press in your optional toppings now. You can use a variety of things -- chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, coconut, etc. The possibilities are endless! I only used a small amount of chocolate chips since the dates are sweet enough as is.

- Bake for 15 minutes and then let cool in pan completely.
- When everything is cooled, take your parchment paper with the mixture out. If you find that your parchment paper is sticking, heat up your pan for about a minute and place your mixture back into the pan. Let sit for a minute or so and your paper should come right off! I find that this happens with unbleached parchment paper sometimes.

- Cut bars into whatever size you prefer. I cut 18 bars -- 6 x 3.

- Individually wrap each bar in plastic wrap or just keep them in an air tight container. Be aware that these may stick to each other! I am storing mine in the refrigerator since I used chocolate chips; however, this isn't necessary.

- Eat up!

These things are great for school or work lunches or just a lazy snack at home. They are perfectly sweetened with a touch of saltiness from the peanut butter. These would taste great with almond butter, too. The great thing about granola bars is that you can make so many combinations! This will definitely be my go-to recipe from now on.

Healthy and Flourless Black Bean Brownies

Yes, you read the title right. These are black bean brownies! They are moist, decadent, rich, and made with no flour!

This recipe makes enough for a 9 x 13 pan of brownies. You could be like Michael and I and cut them so large you only get 12 brownies out of the whole pan. Either way, it makes a whole pan's worth.

Ingredients:
4 c. black beans, cooked, rinsed, and drained (you can use canned or dried. I used dried)
8 medjool dates, soaked for at least an hour and pitted*
1/2 c. nut butter of your choice (I used tahini)
1 1/4 c. almond milk
1/2 c. unsweetened natural applesauce
1 c. cocoa powder
1/4 c. flaxseed meal
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
optional add-ins: chocolate chips, dried fruit, chopped nuts, etc.

* You may want to add in more dates depending on your personal preference. Since we like our brownies pretty rich and tasting like dark chocolate, I only added 5 plus a scoop of stevia. Feel free to taste your batter and add in more sweetener or dates if you prefer.

Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Puree your black beans and dates in your food processor until it becomes a thick and creamy consistency. You may need to add a little almond milk to help this process along.
- Once your beans and dates are blended, add in all ingredients except any add-ins you may have. Process until mixed.
- Using a spoon or spatula, fold in your add-ins. I used chocolate chips.
- Spread batter into a greased 9 x 13 pan. I pressed a few chocolate chips on top as well.

- Bake for around 25 minutes, making sure to test with a toothpick. This may take longer depending on your pan.
- Let cool completely before cutting. You don't want these falling apart!

I can't believe how good these were! I've been experimenting with healthy desserts and I think I have a winner here. Michael pretty much inhaled a brownie when he came home earlier. When I asked him what he thought these were made from, he couldn't even guess. He was shocked to find out these are made mainly from black beans. Awesome!

Easy Gluten Free Waffles

You know there's something wrong with me when I haven't put on makeup in a couple days. That's right, I am sick. I've had a fever, aches and pains, and a sore throat since Monday. I hate being sick!

I don't have much in me to share a long recipe, but in the meantime, go make these waffles. Some changes I'd recommend to the above recipe: use flax eggs (4 tbsp. flax + 12 tbsp. water), omit the sugar, and add a dash of cinnamon.

You won't regret making these. They are so fluffy, crispy, and actually sort of healthy! If I'm able to get out of bed today, no doubt I'll be whipping up a batch of these.