Craving a chocolate shake but don’t have any gelatin prepared in advance? I’ve perfected the art of “quick setting” gelatin in a shake using ice and a blender! I daresay it’s better than the original recipe, but it’s also lighter and fluffier- if you’re craving something more substantial check out the original gelatin shake recipe.
The shake I made in the demonstration video was absolutely perfect! It takes a bit of tweaking to get it just right- too much gelatin, you’ll get fluffy mousse that’s delicious but has to be eaten with a spoon, too little, your shake will be runny, too much ice and you’ll have more of a slushie than a shake. Also- my experience adding fats (avocado/ almond milk) has not been good, as these seem to “un-fluffy” the “fluffyness.”
Fluffy Chocolate Shake
Raspberry & Coconut
48 calories / 0.7 g fat/ 3.5 carbs/ 1.8 fiber/ 7.1 protein
water*
1 T. gelatin
ice
2 T cocoa powder
generous pinch of salt
stevia
1 t. vanilla
*let the gelatin “flower” in 2/3 c. water before microwaving 30-45 seconds. Add the rest after pouring the mixture over ice, as demonstrated below.
Part 1 of my “What to do with crappy peaches” experiment. These were good, maybe my favorite! Not like a “traditional” soft, chewy cookie, more like a soft breakfast bar.
Peach-Pecan Cookies Raspberry & Coconut Makes about a dozen
Dry Ingredients:
3/4 c. almond flour
2 T coconut flour
1/4 t. ginger
1/4 t. cinnamon
1/4 t salt
1/4 t baking soda
Wet ingredients:
1 puree’d peach or 1/2 c. applesauce
1 egg
2 T coconut oil, melted
1/2 t. vanilla
1 t. lemon juice
8 drops Stevia (optional!)
Mix- ins:
~1/2 c. pecans, chocolate chips, or frozen fruit chunks
Preheat oven to 350. In a meduim bowl, mix all dry ingredients together. Mix wet ingredients separately, then add to the dry ones and mix well. Fold in you mix-ins (I used chopped pecans). Roll the dough into little balls, like you do with regular cookies. The dough balls should hold together, if not, add more coconut flour. Flatten the dough balls and bake on a cookie sheet for 20-25 minutes. Let cool completely before serving- they will harden as they cool.
Part 4 of my “What to do with crappy peaches” experiment. Boyfriend’s favorite, and a close runner-up to the cookies, IMHO. I used frozen raspberries for a little zing to complement the subtle peach flavor.
Peach Cupcakes Raspberry & Coconut Makes 10
Dry Ingredients:
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Wet Ingredients:
1 puree’d peach or 1/2 c. applesauce
3 eggs, gently beaten with a fork
1 T honey
3 T coconut oil or butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mix-ins:
1 cup of fresh or frozen raspberries
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium size bowl, mix dry ingredients with a fork until all lumps are gone. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Add wet to dry and mix well, then gently fold in the berries.
In papered or lightly greased muffin tins, put about 1/4 cup of batter in each muffin tin. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the muffins are lightly browned on the top and a toothpick comes out clean when poked into the middle of the muffin.
Optional: frost with coconut butter, allowing the warm muffins to melt the “frosting” so it cools as a hard shell. These are best enjoyed at room temperature, and like most coconut flour baked goods, better the next day!
A few years ago, after diet number “who knows” battling the last 15 pounds of my 60+ weight loss, my hair was thinning and my nails were brittle. Enter flavorless gelatin, derived from the collagen inside animals’ skin and bones. (Macabre. And I used to be a vegan.) It has about 30 calories per tablespoon and is all protein, mainly glycine and proline. Want to learn more about the health benefits of gelatin? Click HERE and HERE.
For starters, you can get the basic Knox brand from the store, but a much cheaper option is to order in bulk. I’ve used NOW brand beef gelatin powder, which is about $25 for FIVE POUNDS (which lasts FOREVER) as well as Great Lakes brand, which is considerably more expensive but is a finer powder (which lends to slightly better gelling) and is from free-range cows (you can order porcine gelatin as well, but I haven’t yet tried this.)
I’ve experimented with using it to thicken soup, ice cream, smoothies, and to make my own “jigglers.” Of all these methods, my favorite by far is “moo-sse.” Seriously, I LOVE this stuff and eat it almost every day. The gelatin keeps my nails and hair strong and shiny, and this fairly low-calorie dessert keeps me satisfied after dinner. You get a HUGE serving for around 100 low-carb calories. Plus- there are INFINITE possibilities for mix-ins! I’m sharing my recipe for basic chocolate pudding in this post, but STAY TUNED for many more, and please, feel free to share any combinations you dream up!
First, I’ll show you how to set the gelatin:
Basic gelatin prep:
Makes enough for about two servings of pudding
2 T Gelatin
4 c. Water
Measure 1 c. water into a microwave-safe container. Sprinkle gelatin into the water and immediately whisk with a fork until combined. Let the mixture sit undisturbed for about 8 minutes. Pop the whole thing in the microwave for about 30 seconds, or until water is warm, almost hot, to the touch.** Add the remaining 3 c. water and whisk until blended, cover, and refrigerate at least 8 hours. This stuff will keep for awhile- I’ve never had any spoil on me.
**Note: If you have a fancy-schmancy microwave, it will take less time. I have the cheapest one I could find- but I would imagine the longest you’d want to heat the water with any model would be about 1:15. It’s important to get this “just right,” so I wouldn’t recommend doubling or halving the recipe.
Giving up half and half in my coffee has to be the biggest sacrifice I’ve made for my health. It happens to be my kryptonite- while I’m sensitive to dairy in general, a little tummy upset isn’t enough to keep me away from ice cream on special occasions, but put a little half and half in my coffee and watch out- I’d bet my life on a giant pimple within 24 hours. I’ve yet to find a substitute for cream in hot coffee. SO SAD during the freezing winter months where I have to walk by a Crazy Mocha and smell freshly ground beans EVERY MORNING on my way to work. Coconut milk + hot coffee= oily, lumpy mess. But blended and chilled? Heaven. Fauxarbucks Frappuccino By Raspberry & Coconut
1/2 – 1 whole can coconut milk
1/2 pot leftover coffee
Optional add-ins:
Protein powder or BCAAs for a pre/post workout shake
Maca, cocoa powder, vanilla, or cinnamon to taste.
Stevia if extra sweetness is desired- I am a HUGE fan of stevia (NuNaturals Vanilla Stevia is my favorite so far) but I find the natural sweetness the coconut milk provides the perfect contrast to the bitterness of the coffee.
Directions
Open a can of coconut milk and pour into a mixing bowl. Using a handheld mixer or whisk, beat the coconut milk until the solids and liquids are combined. If you’re using some of the coconut milk for another recipe, measure it out and store it separately- it should keep for about a week and a half in the fridge. Whisk in your coffee and desired add-ins until foamy. Store in the fridge for up to a week and remember to shake it before you drink it!
To all my American readers, I hope you had an awesome 4th weekend! I sure did! We (cameraman, friends, and myself) went up to Lyman Run for a few days, visited the PA Grand Canyon, I shot my first gun, went ATVing, watched friend Tom take 4th in the State birling championships, visited a dark-sky preserve, got lost on some scary dirt roads at 1 AM, and co-founded the sport of “Sparkling” thanks to an excess of sparklers and a little too much wine ;-).
Of course, there was plenty of awesome campfire food. This leads me to… my first ever… GUEST POST! Friend Sandy shows you how to make BANANA BOATS. These are a staple of our camping trips- I’m pretty sure we both learned how to make these in girl scouts. Two out of three not-passed-out-at-8 PM- from too much mountain air-campers (ahem… Rob) agree..they’re even better than S’Mores- and gluten free to boot! If you want to tsk-tsk at me for eating marshmellows, well, they’re fabulous stuffed with peanut butter and dark chocolate instead of the chocolate/ marshmallow combo we use in the video.
Directions:
Cut a lengthwise gash in a whole banana (leave the skin on). Stuff with your fillings and wrap in foil. Lay it on the hot coals of your campfire for about 15 minutes. Open it up and enjoy- the banana should be caramelized (like bananas foster- we’re definitely pouring rum on it if we have some next time around). Sing the “banana boat” song in glee.
Non-food-related extras: Check out my video of the Galeton fireworks intro. This small town really knows how to party!
Chocolate cake! For breakfast!? This 150-calorie cake-y chocolatey big-as-your-fist treat is a totally sufficient breakfast if you smother it in butter! I remember watching this Cosby skit with my dad a long long time ago- “chocolate cake for breakfast” became a running joke when he was on breakfast duty.
“Eggs! Eggs are in chocolate cake! And milk! Oh goodie! And wheat! That’s nutrition!”
Anytime Chocolate Cake
Adapted from Spoonful of Sugar Free Dry Ingredients:
1 T. Coconut flour
2 T. Protein powder
2 T. Cocoa
1/2 t. baking powder
Pinch of salt
Wet ingredients:
1/4 c. egg whites
2 T. canned pumpkin
1 T. – 1/4 c. water
A few drops of vanilla and/or stevia, optional
Optional mix-ins: frozen blueberries, raspberries, or chocolate chips.
Grease a bowl with coconut oil, set aside. Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then add wet ingredients and mix-ins, stir, and add water to thin (see video). Pour batter into the greased bowl, then nuke for 3-4 minutes, depends on your microwave. Flip the cake out of your bowl, put a paper towel on the bottom, and nuke it again for 1- 1.5 minutes. Schmear with butter or peanut butter and enjoy with a hot cup of coffee on a lazy Sunday morning. These are also good cold and get really fudgy when they sit in the fridge.
In case you’re interested, here are the nutritionals for the WHOLE cake:
Calories: 144
Fat: 2.3 g
Carbs: 18 g.
Fiber: 8 g.
Protein: 19.1 g.
Chocolate covered cherries make me think of Valentines’ Day! My mom rarely bought candy but somehow we always ended up with a box of those Queen Anne cherry cordials every February. I had one not too long ago, and good lord it was sweet- while my sweet tooth is definitely intact, it craves things like dark chocolate, peanut butter, fruit, and my grain free banana blondies 🙂 These cherry bombs don’t have the gooey, sugary syrup of regular cordials, they make their own as the cherries thaw. Mine didn’t make it to that point before me and my Valentine inhaled ’em.
Click here to read about the health benefits of coconut oil.
Chocolate Cherry Bombs
1/4 c. coconut oil
2 drops of Stevia or 1/4 t honey (both optional)
1/4 t. vanilla extract
One grind of sea salt
1 T. cocoa powder
1 c. frozen cherries (or frozen banana chunks, frozen mango… etc.)
Melt your coconut oil- it’s summer so if you don’t have a/c Mother Nature will have done this for you already- otherwise, fill up a large bowl with hot water and float your closed jar of coconut oil until it’s melted. (I should have explained this better in the video!)
Measure the oil into a small bowl and add your stevia, salt, and vanilla and whisk with a fork. Add cocoa and whisk until the mixture is blended. Toss in your fruit pieces one-by-one and roll each around until coated. Repeat until you’re out of fruit or chocolate!
I always use flexible plastic Ziploc containers when I’m making this recipe. The coldness of the fruit hardens up the remaining chocolate by the time I’m done with two thirds of the batch. Instead of wasting it, I just float the container in a larger bowl of hot water for a few minutes until it liquifies again. Also, if you put the cherry bombs on a surface before the shell has hardened, they’ll stick. A simple way to fix this is to place them in another flexible plastic container and pop them in the freezer for another minute or so. This makes the shell really hard and you can just “pop” the bottom of the container and they’ll let go.
Confession time- I only buy bananas so they will turn brown and give me an excuse to make tasty treats! It’s been a while since I’ve made banana bread- so long, in fact, I’ve lost my recipe! I’ve adapted my banana “blondies” from this recipe. These are really tasty, and they keep well- I made them on Saturday and ate them for breakfast all week.
Banana Blondies
Grain-free, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Sugar-Free
Dry Ingredients:
3/4 c. coconut flour
1/2 c. flax meal
2 tbsp. arrowroot powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
Wet Ingredient1s:
5 eggs
2 large ripe bananas, mashed
1 tsp. vanilla
1 T. honey
1/4 c. melted coconut oil
1/4 c. sunbutter (or other nut butter)
Mix-ins (I used ~1 c. chopped walnuts and ~1/2 c. coconut flakes):
1-2 c. of any of the following, use your imagination!: Chopped nuts Coconut flakes Trail Mix Dark chocolate chips
Directions:
Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Puree all wet ingredients in a blender or mash with a fork in a separate bowl. Add wet mixture to dry mixture and blend well. Add in mix-ins and stir.
Grease a 13X9 casserole with coconut oil. Spread the mix evenly in the dish.
Craving a chocolate shake but don’t have any gelatin prepared in advance? I’ve perfected the art of “quick setting” gelatin in a shake using ice and a blender! I daresay it’s better than the original recipe, but it’s also lighter and fluffier- if you’re craving something more substantial check out the original gelatin shake recipe.
Raspberry & Coconut 