Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge

I was going to take a picture of the fudge all neatly cut and placed on this really pretty dish but this is what it really looked like after my family and I tried it. So yummy!

I have talked in the past about making my grandma's famous fudge and totally eating it even though it was FULL of sugar (a big no no for me and a couple others in my family). Well my sister Jesse found this recipe and it is really good. It seriously takes 5 minutes to make (unlike my grandma's recipe) which is an added bonus. The blog that we got this yummy recipe from is sweettreatsmore.com. Its not as sweet as my grandma's recipe but it hits the right spot. 

¾ cup coconut oil

⅔ cup honey 

¾ cup cocoa powder

½ cup all natural peanut butter (or chunky if you like nuts)

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Salt (optional) - I think I would have liked it better without the salt

Instructions 
1- I melted the coconut oil, agave, cocoa and peanut butter in a saucepan over medium high heat until completely melted. 

2- Remove form heat and whisk in vanilla. 

3- Pour into bread pan or pie dish and let it chill for 1-2 hours until completely set. 

Chocolate Cream Trifle

Hey girls..this is the Trifle that I made. We really liked it..it's super rich so a little goes a long way. l
Love ya, lyndsie

Pound Cake:

2  Sticks of Butter
1/2 C. Shortening (spectrum.. is a good organic and natural brand)
2 C. of Coconut Crystal Sugar
5 Eggs
3 C. Spelt or Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 Tsp. Salt
1/2 Tsp. Baking Powder
1C. Milk..any kind will do
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
Preheat oven 350 degrees
Mix butter and and shortening together. Add sugar a little at a time. Add eggs 1 at a time...beat after each one. Mix dry ingred. in a bowl, then alternately add dry ingred and milk to butter/sugar mixture. Start with dry ingredients and end with dry. Mix in vanilla. Put into greased and floured bread pan or tube pan. Bake 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until toothpick comes out clean. 16 to 20 servings

Click on the Pie link on the side for the chocolate pudding and whip cream recipes

Now it's time to start to assemble. Cut your pound cake into small chunks.

 For your first layer..put the pound cake on the bottom. Then add the pudding and then the whip cream. Just get a big spoon and throw in spoonfuls of each. It doesn't matter where they land. Your trifle will look beautiful no matter what.

Keep going with your layers.. pound cake, pudding, whip cream.. until you run out of everything.

And here is the beautiful end result! this always wow's the crowds..because it is so pretty. I also have used our different fruit syrups in replace for the pudding and it looks and tastes great!

The BEST Granola Bars EVER!

I came across this recipe in the New York Times but after making it a few times I wanted to modify the recipe some. Here is the end result! This never disappoints at my home!  This has to be one of my favorite treats! Sure hope you enjoy it too!

• 1 stick Butter (1/2 cup)
• 6 - 6 1/2 cups Rolled Oats
• 1 1/2 cups Flaxseed Meal
• 1 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 cup Agave Syrup
• 6 Tbs. Coconut Sugar
• 3 tsp. Vanilla
• 1 bag Dark Chocolate ((60% plus Cacao)
• If Chocolate bothers you, could also use any mix in you'd prefer.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Butter 9x9 baking pan. Bakes for 20 minutes.

Melt Butter in large pot on Medium Heat, then add the Rolled Oats, allowing the Oats to get nice and toasty; be sure to stir regularly so Oats do not burn. Toast Oats for about 5-7 minutes. Remove mixture and place in a large bowl then add Flaxseed Meal, Cinnamon, and Salt and stir.

Using the same pot you used to toast the Oats; add the Agave, Coconut Sugar, and Vanilla. Allow the mixture to boil for 3-5 minutes. Being careful not to burn. (This has happened to me! I usually don't allow it to boil much longer than 3 minutes) Take pot off the stove and pour over the Oatmeal mixture in bowl, Stir well to combine. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes then mix in Chocolate Chips or any other mix in you'd prefer.

or if you can find these Grain Sweetened Chocolate Chips, I feel a lot better when I eat these versus the 60% Dark Chocolate. However, I've had a harder time finding the Grain Sweetened Chocolate Chips lately at my local health food stores. If interested, I noticed you can buy them through Amazon.

Finally, scrape mixture out onto a 9x13 pan and bake at 300 degrees for 20 minutes. Allow Granola Bars to cool before eating (if you can wait that long ;-) ).  The bars will set up as they cool.

-Jessie

Lyndsie's AMAZING homemade chocolates

1/2 cup Peanut Butter ( I use the Adams Natural Brand)
1 cup of agave
1 cup powdered coconut milk or regular powdered milk
6 0z. Melted Homemade Chocolate

Mix P.B., agave,and Powdered Milk and roll into little balls.
Then roll balls in Chocolate until covered. I would recommend dipping twice to make the chocolate thicker. So, dip once then let it sit for a minute and then dip into chocolate again. Put on parchment paper and put into air tight container, then keep in fridge. keeps for about 3 or 4 days. - Lyndsie

Yields about 19 balls.

Homemade Chocolate

2 ounces of unsweetened chocolate
2 tbsp. powdered milk or powdered coconut milk
2 tbsp agave
2 tsp. nonhydrogenated shortening
*half & half or cream or unsweetened coconut milk

Melt chocolate and shortening in microwave in 10-15 sec. intervals. Stir after every time. add dry ingred. Mix. Then, slowly add half & half or cream or coconut milk until consistancy is smooth and creamy. If the chocolate is at all grainy just put chocolate back in the microwave for 10 to 15 sec more. Dip balls, let set up in the fridge, and enjoy.

Homemade Chocolate Chunks

2 oz. unsweetened chocolate

2 Tbsp. powdered milk or powdered coconut milk

3 Tbsp. Agave

2 tsp. nonhydrogenated shortening(spectrum brand)

Makes about half cup full.

Break chocolate into chunks and add shortening. Microwave 35 sec. Stir. Heat in 1o sec. intervals until melted. Remember to stir after every time.

Dump dry ingred. in. Stir with spatula until smooth. It will look clumpy at first, but it will smooth out.

Pour into a pan lined with parchment or pour onto a gallon size ziploz bag and spread flat. put on a plate and put in Freezer until firm. take out and chop into small chunks. - Lyndsie