Sugar Free Whoopie Pies

Posted on February 2, 2020 by Carmen

Moist soft chocolate cake type cookies with a massive amount of creamy white filling inside…. these are whoopie pies and OMG are they delicious! Absolutely Divine!

Growing up these were a special treat in my house and needless to say they didn’t last very long. I could easily pop 3 in a sitting and unless you doubled the recipe there were only about 16 in a batch, so really in a house of 5 that didn’t make for many in your tummy unless you were fast!

When we made the switch to a sugar free household, sadly whoopie pies were one recipe that I didn’t make anymore because I had no idea how to modify the recipe. Being new to the whole sugar free world and substitutions I was at a loss. So they were left unmade for years. Until this weekend….

My youngest son and I decided to take the plunge and modify the recipe to see if we could create these whoopie pies successfully. We debated between using honey or coconut sugar as the sweetener, and decided we’d try one and if it didn’t work out, we’d try the other one later. I am happy to report we got it right the first time and now I can share these delectable sugar free treats with you! (I would suggest just doubling the recipe right from the start, I mean really why deny yourself?)

Sugar Free Whoopie Pies

Cookie:

1/2 cup shortening
1 cup coconut sugar
2 egg yolks
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt
5 tbsp. cacao powder
1 cup almond milk (or non dairy milk of choice)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. almond extract

Cream shortening and coconut sugar. Add egg yolks and beat. Add cacao powder and salt, vanilla and almond extract. Stir in dry ingredients, alternately with milk. Let dough sit for 10-15 minutes.

Drop by teaspoon onto a cookie sheet. Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes.

When done remove from cookie sheet and place on cooling rack to cool completely.

Filling:

2 egg whites
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups sugar free icing sugar*
1-2 tsp. of honey
1 tsp. vanilla
dash of salt
1 drop Peppermint essential oil (optional)**

Put all ingredients, except honey, into a bowl and mix together. Beat well and taste for sweetness. Add 1-2 teaspoons of honey to taste. Beat until light and fluffy.

**A mint filling would be delicious with these. If you’d like a mint filling, then add 1 drop of Peppermint essential oil. Measure 1 drop onto a spoon and stir into filling. Measuring onto a spoon helps prevent putting too much in! If you get two drops on your spoon instead of one then you can just wash your spoon and start again. If you measure it straight into the bowl and get too many drops then you’ll have too much mint and have to make your filling over again.

Put cookies together by taking 2 completely cooled cookies, add desired amount of filling on one side (and you can put a lot), then place the second cookie on top like a sandwich. Repeat this until you have all the cookies put together. Place in an air tight container and store in the fridge.

Note: The recipe makes a lot of filling so feel free to be generous with the amount of filling that you use for each cookie.

My kids loved these so much they are now requesting that their birthday cake simply be a giant Whoopie Pie! I’ve never done it in a big cake before but I think it can be done. I’ll keep you posted…

PS – these also make awesome treats for Valentine’s Day! Satisfy that chocolate fest and treat those you love with these delectable treats. Maybe you could even make them heart shaped? Hmmm… I bet it could be done 🙂

*Sugar Free Powdered Sugar (replacement for regular icing sugar)

1 cup nonfat powdered milk (for dairy free use powdered coconut milk)
1 cup cornstarch
2/3 cup Krisda Stevia for baking

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and whip until blended and powdered. Store in an airtight container.

This replacement can be used in any recipe calling for icing sugar.

Dairy Free Delicious Homemade Cinnamon Buns

Posted on June 13, 2018 by Carmen

Sometimes it’s just a make cinnamon buns, coffee and movies kind of weekend.

I have been craving cinnamon buns for weeks. I have no idea why. I just wanted a big sticky gooey, yummy, sweet cinnamon bun. But I also wanted to respect my needs (and not feel awful after) so I wanted it dairy free and naturally sweetened. So I couldn’t just run out to the store and get one – I decided I was going to make some sugar free dairy free cinnamon buns.

Of course my biggest issue was time. When I am baking and/ or creating in the kitchen I like to have the time to do it. I don’t like to feel rushed or hurried, or that I have to get to the next thing. I just want to move from one step to the next at whatever pace I choose. Often enjoying a favorite movie in the background as I work. I like to take my time, enjoy the experience and give myself space to do it. I also need to feel motivated or ‘in the mood’ as they say. I find if I don’t want to then I won’t enjoy doing it either and it certainly won’t turn out.

This weekend the stars aligned and I had all these things in place, time, desire, all the ingredients (as sometimes that is a big barrier to lol). It was the kind of weekend that was just for me, doing what I wanted to do when I wanted to do it. A soulful weekend I like to call it. A time where I can do things that I love and fill up my soul. Sure I had work to do, and other tasks that certainly could have used my attention, but sometimes we really need to take a break, get away from work and I needed this more. I needed to rejuvenate and reconnect with myself and well baking and creating in the kitchen is one way that I like to do it.

Now you have to understand what kind of undertaking making cinnamon buns from scratch was for me. Growing up I had tried a number of different bread type recipes and could never get them to rise successfully. No matter what I tried or how I did it, I just had no success. You know when they say you should let it rise til it doubled in size? I was lucky if it rose even a little, if at all, and that was after hours of waiting. Failed after failed attempt, I watched others do it successfully, my aunt did it with ease, I think even my sister managed it once, but for me it just wasn’t happening. So to even attempt a cinnamon bun recipe where rising was involved was a big thing – I had absolutely no idea if they were even going to turn out as the light and fluffy cinnamon buns I desired, or if I would end up with rocks in the garbage once again.

I was also playing with ingredients – creating a recipe that was naturally sweetened and dairy free, I put some things in and took some out. I laughed as I was telling my girlfriend about it when I went to yoga, leaving the buns behind hoping they would rise and double in size by the time I got back. Because of all the tweeks I had made I really thought it would be a miracle if they worked.

To my delight, when I returned home from a lovely yoga and essential oils class, the cinnamon buns had in fact risen and doubled in size! I was so excited I took a picture and sent it to my girlfriend right away! (I have no idea if she was as excited as me to see this but I sent it anyways).

I giddily turned on and preheated the oven, preparing them to bake. I couldn’t wait to pull them out of the oven and taste them! hoping that my cinnamon buns had not only risen but that they tasted good too.

The good news is, they did. In fact, I have had a hard time not eating them all and am grudgingly sharing them with the kids. The beauty of it is the recipe is so easy the kids could make them themselves with a little supervision. And since they devoured theirs today afterschool they announced that they are very willing to do so!

Sugar Free Dairy Free Cinnamon Buns

Dough:

2 1/2 – 3 c. flour

3 tbsp. honey

1 tsp. salt

2 1/4 tsp. quick rise yeast

1/2 c. water

1/4 c. unsweetened almond milk or choice of unsweetened non-dairy milk

3 tbsp. Earth Balance Vegan Spread

1 egg

Filling:

3 tbsp. softened Earth Balance Vegan Spread (this softens quite quickly so don’t leave it out too long as it will actually melt)

3-4 tbsp. cinnamon

1/4 – 1/2 c. coconut sugar

1/2 c. raisins (can add more if you really like raisins)

Mix 2 1/2 c. of flour, salt and yeast together. Create a hole in the middle of the dry mixture and add the honey to the hole, but do not mix. Set aside.

Heat the water, non-dairy milk, and Earth Balance on low heat on the stove. DO NOT bring the mixture to a boil, make sure everything has melted, mixed together and is hot but not boiling. If it boils the temperature of your mixture is too high and may not turn out. Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients by pouring liquid in the middle over the honey – this is so the honey will melt and dissolve into before mixing. Ensure that the honey has completely dissolved before beginning to mix.

Using a dough hook on the stand mixer, mix together on a low setting. If all the dry ingredients are not mixing as well you may stop the mixer and mix in the rest by hand, then put it back under the mixture to complete. If needed, add the rest of the flour a tablespoon at a time to form a smooth dough (I found that I did not need the extra flour but you may depending on where you live). Continue to mix for 5 minutes. Allow the dough to rest for 3-5 minutes.

After you have allowed the dough to rest, use a rolling pin and roll out the dough into a rectangle shape about 1/8 inch thick. Spread the softened Earth Balance over the dough. Then sprinkle evenly with desired amount of cinnamon and coconut sugar. Sprinkle with raisins.

Beginning with the long end of the rectangle, tightly roll the dough so that you’re filing is on the inside. Cut the rolled dough into 10-12 even pieces. Place the pieces in a well greased 9×13 inch pan.

Place the rolls in a warm draft free place and cover lightly with a clean t-towel. Let rise til they are double in size.

Preheat oven to 350 F and bake for 25 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool.

Now we found these sweet enough and enjoyed them without icing and honestly they really don’t need it. But if you would like to ice your cinnamon buns you can certainly do so. I have this yummy dairy free sugar free cream cheese icing that is to die for! So I am definitely going to try that on these cinnamon buns the next time we make them. If I can find it that is… I can’t remember where I put it… I’m sure it’s in that ‘safe’ place. (Once I do find it I will share it with you here).

These cinnamon buns certainly did not disappoint, in fact I may have just enjoyed one slathered with Earth Balance on it once the kids were in bed… we must try out all options of course! I will definitely be making them again. Though I would like to try a gluten free version and see how that one will turn out…maybe I shouldn’t push it…

Back to School Smoothies – Tropical Green Smoothie

Posted on September 16, 2017 by Carmen

Green smoothies are an excellent choice for those back to school mornings as they provide a ton of nutrients to start the day and get the kids energized. A green smoothie though, is not always the most popular with kids. They take one look at the color and won’t even try it no matter what you tell them is in it. (This is one of the reasons why I like making other kinds of smoothies and adding in a little greens. You can literally hide them in there as it doesn’t change the color and they get blended up so they have no idea!)

One of the reasons kids (and some adults too) steer away from green smoothies is because often times they are this ugly dark green and aren’t very tasty or sweet. And even though I like my vegetables, when my smoothie tastes bland and like just a glass of vegetables, that doesn’t appeal even to me – why would a kid like it? That being said I have found a green smoothie that I quite enjoy and has passed the ‘kid test’. It is actually the favorite of my youngest son.

This green smoothie is sweet in taste due to the 3 kinds of tropical fruits, but not overly so, and a bright vibrant green. Stocked with 3 kinds of greens as well this makes for a very good combination. The nice thing is to if you need it a little sweeter you just add a little more fruit.

I have even made this green smoothie in my kids cooking classes (ages 3-12) and most of them liked it. In fact, for some of them it was their favorite smoothie as well!

Why do you want kids to have a green smoothie in the morning?

They are an easy way to get in those greens everyday (and right at the start). I don’t know about you but sometimes I find this difficult and get to the end of the day with no greens whatsoever. I feel good when I start my day with some greens.
Greens are rich in fiber, high in vitamins like vitamin C, K, E, and minerals and have many disease fighting benefits. And if you’re using a green like spinach, it’s high in iron ( supports brain function, muscle health, curbs fatigue)
Greens are high in antioxidants
They are high in folate which maintains a healthy heart, is needed for body’s cell division and prevents depression
Supports healthy brain function

Tropical Green Smoothie

1 c. spinach

3-4 stems of parsley

1 sprig of fresh mint (I love mint so I might add a bit more, add yours to taste)

*1/2 c. papaya

1/2 c. pineapple

1/2 c. mango

**1/2 -3/4 c. apple juice or water

Put all ingredients in Vitamix blender. Start on low moving up to high. Blend on high for 1 minute or until smooth. Enjoy!

*I use orange or yellow papaya as I like it better and find it sweeter; but you can also use red papaya

**vary the amounts of fruit to make it sweeter or less sweet to taste

**I have found over the years that if I add a little more fruit then I can use water instead of juice and it still tastes yummy, sweet and delicious

Serves 1

Give this green smoothie a try this weekend and see how the crew likes it. If it’s a success you can start incorporating it into your back to school smoothie rotation in the mornings and kick off the day with a nice green healthy breakfast.

Back to School Smoothies – Classic Berry

Posted on September 12, 2017 by Carmen

One of my favorite smoothies is when there is an abundance of fruit – and I mean a variety of fruits that I really love. Yes I know they all taste great on their own but I love putting them all together in one glass. Seriously for me it’s like a treat or a sundae.

This is why I love a classic berry smoothie. Not only do I fulfill my desire for more than one berry at once, I can also amp it up a little with some added ingredients that get disguised in the mix. So to the eye and palette very much berry, berry and berry, but to the rest of the body, lots of yummy nutrients that I need or am trying to get in!

This is especially good for kids who naturally love sweeter smoothies and will be all over drinking this. They will enjoy it and you will be happy that you got that other stuff in there (I feel especially successful when I’ve gotten some greens into them first thing in the morning). My daughter, in particular likes this smoothie and will gulp it down very quickly.

Now I know in the first post in this back to school smoothie series I recommended go easy on the fruit, as it can create too much sugar (even if it is natural) in the body first thing in the morning. The key is that with the other ingredients we are adding this quickly balances it out and stabilizes the higher sugars that you get from the higher fruit content. Plus because we are blending and not juicing you still get the fiber from the fruits which also helps to counter balance the sugars. And well let’s be honest, it tastes good! And every once in a while we deserve a little treat.

This is also a great smoothie if you are trying to introduce smoothies to your kids but not having as much luck as you had hoped so far. Because of it’s higher sweet content you may have more success, knowing that you did successfully get that spinach in there to, without them even knowing. Then later you can work on the green ones…

Classic Berry Smoothie

1 banana

5-6 fresh strawberries

1/2 c. blueberries

1/2 c. raspberries

1 1/2 c. non dairy milk (we usually use unsweetened almond milk)

*1-2 tbsp hemp seeds

1 healthy handful of spinach

Put all ingredients in the blender and mix until smooth. Now if you prefer more blueberry to strawberry or raspberry, feel free to adjust the amounts accordingly. You may also substitute chia seeds for hemp seeds, just be aware that with chia seeds they can make it much thicker especially if not drunk right away.

Serves 3

Perfect for the morning and to add that variety to the morning smoothie menu.

Coming up… a yummy Green Smoothie (honestly it’s delicious! and your kids will love it)

Back to School Smoothies – Peanut Butter

Posted on September 6, 2017 by Carmen

Peanut butter smoothies are a staple for my kids at our house. Even though I recommend changing things up and giving the kids variety, they go for days if not weeks in a row where they only want this smoothie.

I really like the peanut butter smoothie because it is a super quick and easy recipe – with simply peanut butter, banana and milk. It is a nice thick creamy smoothie that is high in protein, filling and a great way to start the day!

We tend to add in a few other ingredients to this smoothie like dates and oatmeal for a little added sweetness and nutrient boost. Dates are high in fiber and a good source of vitamins and minerals such as iron, magnesium, zinc and Vitamin A. They are also high in natural sugars which provide an immediate and sustainable burst of energy (sustainable because it also has the high fiber content).

If you’re not a peanut butter fan or have an allergy, it is easy to substitute any nut butter in this smoothie or you can use Wow Butter, which is a soy based product (but does have added sugar) that has similar taste and texture to peanut butter.

Peanut Butter Smoothie

1 banana

1 tbsp. unsweetened or natural peanut butter

2 c. non dairy milk (we like almond but choose your favorite)

2 medjool dates, pitted

1/3 c. dry oatmeal

Put all ingredients into a blender and mix until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve immediately.

Serves 2

Coming up… the Classic Berry Smoothie

Back to School Smoothies – Apple Carrot

Posted on September 4, 2017 by Carmen

Mornings can often be a rush and a challenge to get everyone a good balanced breakfast and out the door on time, it’s one of the reasons I love Back to School smoothies. They are a quick, easy way to pack a bunch of important nutrients into one glass and start the day right.

If you’re like me you have a love – hate relationship with this time of year. I love that the kids are occupied elsewhere during the day and I can focus on other things, the golden late summer sun and promise of fall in the air. I do not like having to make lunches or get up in the mornings and rush out the door, I prefer a slower pace and making lunch later.

As a result I get up in the mornings with the shortest amount of time I possibly need to get us all fed and out the door (I can do it in about 30 minutes), which often means prepping things the night before and getting creative with breakfasts (this is also why I love overnight oats).

You know what they say breakfast is the most important meal of the day! and I agree a good breakfast sets you up for a good, productive and successful day. This is why smoothies are a great solution. There are all kinds of varieties and combinations so everyone can have something they like; and I can easily make them night before (in it’s entirety or packing the blender and adding the liquid and blend in the morning). They are also portable, so if we’re running short on time we toss the smoothie into a to go glass and take it out the door and no one misses breakfast!

Tips for Making a Healthy and Balanced Morning Smoothie

It’s important to make a smoothie your child likes but it’s also important to keep in mind these few tips to make it a balanced, filling and energizing smoothie.

Don’t make it fruit heavy – make sure it’s more than just fruit and milk
Steer away from the juice – use non dairy milks, coconut water or just water itself to blend your smoothie
Add in some protein – things like chia, hemp and flax seeds are all excellent sources of protein and when blended into the smoothie are not even noticeable. This also helps you feel fuller longer.
Add in some greens if you can – I know some kids watch what you do like hawks and if they see one green thing going in there they won’t drink it even if they can’t see or taste it! If you can, adding a handful of greens like spinach, will give them that extra boost for the day.
Change it up – have a few smoothie recipes on the go for your back to school mornings. Variety is good and keeps kids interested. It’s also helpful as the seasons change and what’s available in season in the grocery stores.

To get you going and inspired, we’re going to share some great Back to School smoothie recipes here on the blog over the next two weeks. Today we’re starting with my Apple Carrot Smoothie, which is a beautiful use of many of the things that are currently being harvested (like the sweet delicious apples from our apple tree).

Apple Carrot Smoothie

3 apples

1 stalk of celery

2 carrots

1 handful of spinach

2 tsp. hemp seeds

Water or *coconut water

Put all ingredients into you blender and mix thoroughly til smooth.

Enjoy!

Serves 3

*coconut water is high in carbohydrates, potassium, magnesium and fiber. It has a sweet nutty distinct flavor so test it with your kids (a small sip in a separate glass) before adding it to the smoothie

And smoothies aren’t just for kids or breakfast! These are great for adults too and as snacks or a pick me up during the day.

Coming up next… the Peanut Butter Smoothie

Easy Healthy Chocolate Fondue

Posted on April 27, 2017 by Carmen

Chocolate Fondue is one of those easy fun desserts or treats that everyone can get into. Dipping fresh fruit in chocolate (or other yummy things like rice krispie bits, cake, pretzels, marshmallows) is delightful and delicious.

A lot of people find though that chocolate fondue can be a little messy and a little bit too much of a sugar rush – with the chocolate burning if your fondue pot is not just right, or it getting too thick to dip in. Not to mention all the sugary treats you are dipping into an already sugar filled chocolate.

The good news is it doesn’t have to be this way – you can create a healthy chocolate fondue with the yummy treats for dipping (also healthy) and no burning or thickening of your chocolate. And it’s super easy! even the kids can do it.

Years ago I learned how to make raw organic chocolate, made from cacao butter and cacao powder, then naturally sweetened with your sweetener of choice. It is quick easy and very good for you. Cacao is an ingredient that is considered a superfood, as it is very high in vitamins and minerals like calcium, magnesium, sulfur, copper, iron and zinc, vitamins E, B2, B1, B5, B3 and B9. And it is super high in antioxidants, healthy fat, fiber and protein. Plus when you use a natural sweetener you are now adding in the benefits of that natural sweetener as well (like honey, pure maple syrup, stevia).

You might think well I can just use cocao it’s the same – the fact is it’s not. Though both cocao and cacao come from the same bean they are processed very differently which is why one product (cocao) is stripped of most of it’s vitamins and minerals, while the other (cacao) preserves them.

When you’re making raw organic chocolate, you use a double bowl where you place boiling water in the bottom bowl and place another smaller bowl (that sits on the rim without falling into the bottom one) on top. You simply make your chocolate in the top bowl, using the heat from the water underneath to do your melting and create your chocolate. It’s like a double boiler method without using the stove and creating the risk of burning it!

Once you’ve made your chocolate, you simply keep it in the liquid form for your fondue (as opposed to putting it into molds or a pan to set), by leaving the top bowl on top of the hot water. Place it in the middle of your table or serving area and voila! you are ready to dip and indulge. You do have to be conscious of the lower bowl being hot though and advise those who are sharing the fondue to not touch the bottom bowl (especially important with kids). The chocolate will stay liquid as long as the water is hot and will not burn. As the water starts to cool, the chocolate will set, but all you have to do is add fresh boiling water to your bottom bowl and the chocolate will melt and return to liquid quite quickly. One thing to note is you do need to be careful that you do not get any water into your top bowl with the chocolate as this will ruin your chocolate, so just be aware of that when you’re moving things around.

Otherwise, grab your fork and favorite dipping items and enjoy!

Healthy Chocolate Fondue (this will make enough for 4-6 people and ready in 10 minutes!)

3/4 – 1 cup Cacao butter

2-6 tbsp. Cacao powder

1 Vanilla Bean

2 tsp. to start Natural Sweetener of choice (honey, pure maple syrup, etc.)

In a medium metal bowl add boiling water about halfway up the bowl. *a metal bowl is best as it retains the heat well but can get hot to the touch Place second smaller metal bowl on top of large bowl so that it sits on top.
Put desired amount of cacao butter into top bowl. Cacao butter will start to melt.
While cacao butter is melting slice vanilla bean down the middle and scrape out the inside seeds with a spoon. Put seeds into melted cacao, it is ok if cacao butter is not completely melted yet. Stir.
Sift cacao powder into a separate bowl. Once cacao butter is completely melted add 2-4 tablespoons of cacao powder. Taste for desired level of chocolatey-ness. If you’d like it richer add more cacao powder.
Once satisfied with amount of cacao powder add natural sweetener of choice. Start with 3 teaspoons and mix. Taste, if desired level of sweetness has not been reached, add 1-2 more tablespoons and taste again. Once level of desired sweetness has been reached you have your base chocolate.
Leave in liquid form and bowls on top of each other and serve. Use pot holder or oven mitt to transfer bowls if moving to another spot.

*Be very careful not to get any water into your chocolate as it will not work if you do. If your second bowl sits nicely on top, this should not be an issue as you do not need to lift the second bowl off the one with the water in it until you are done making your chocolate.

Items for dipping:

Basically you can dip whatever you want into your chocolate (some people love chocolate dipped bacon 🙂 Fruit is the most popular and the quickest to prepare as it is most likely on hand – but if you’re feeling adventurous or just want to change it up a bit try out these other options – which can be healthy and sugar free too! below

Fresh fruit of choice – banana, apple, orange, strawberries, pineapple, cantalope, etc.

Pretzels

Healthy sugar free marshmallows (yes these can be healthy to! make your own here)

Sugar free cake bits

Sugar free rice krispie square pieces

Nuts

Make sure you have forks or other utensils to facilitate dipping without items being lost in the chocolate. Fondue forks work great but are not required as regular forks work just as well.

This is super super easy to do with kids and is always a hit. I did it with my Mini Chefs class, 3-5 year olds and they loved it! There were many chocolate faces that day and I did not send them home to parents on a sugar high.

I’ve also succesfully done this with adults many a time and I usually have someone licking the bowl at the end 🙂 The nice thing is you can make as much as you want and if you run out you just make more!

Ok I’m off to make my own chocolate fondue now… all this talk about it is making me crave some…

What are your favorite things to dip in chocolate fondue?

Quinoa Pizza Mini Bites – Dairy & Gluten Free

Posted on March 17, 2017 by Carmen

Definitely my favorite mini bite recipe so far are these Quinoa Pizza Mini Bites. At first when I looked at the recipe I thought having quinoa in it was weird and probably not very tasty, but it turned out to be delicious!

The quinoa gives it a nice texture and does not make you feel that heaviness in your belly that pastry does. And it doesn’t take away or overtake the other flavors in the bite, it enhances and allows them to stand out.

Quinoa, considered a plant food, is also super good for you. It is one of the most protein rich foods we can eat, as well as high in fiber, iron, magnesium and many other vitamins and minerals. It is also gluten free which is great for those who are looking for or in need of that option; and even contains antioxidants. On it’s own, quinoa is quite plain but is a fantastic healthy addition in salads, baked goods, warm breakfast cereals and more!

These pizza mini bites really do taste like pizza and with the quinoa in them they are super healthy. I was amazed at how good they were and how much they actually tasted like pizza. And like pizza you can add in your favorite pizza ingredients. I used small pieces of pepperoni but you could easily substitute ham, add peppers, chopped up mushrooms, etc.

They are also fantastic for kids – they can easily help make them and they are a nice healthy option to put in their lunches or even for a snack. Yes you have to put in 3 or 4 but that’s ok this recipe makes a lot! They are even a great appetizer or snack for your next gathering or party.

Quinoa Pizza Mini Bites

2 cups cooked quinoa*

2 large eggs

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup Daiya shredded mozzarella

2 tsp minced garlic

1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped

1 cup chopped pepperoni sticks (3-4 sticks)

1/2 tsp seasoning salt

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp dried crushed oregano

pizza or tomato sauce for dipping

Mix together all ingredients, except pizza sauce, in a medium mixing bowl. Using a tablespoon, scoop the mixture into a well greased mini muffin tin, filling each cup to the top. Press down gently to compact.

Bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly (about 5 minutes). Gently remove bites from muffin tin and serve immediately.

These are also very good cold. So if you’re putting them into kids lunches or your own, there’s no need to heat them if not able to do so.

Makes approximately 40 bites

*How to Cook Quinoa

1 cup quinoa

2 cups water

Thoroughly rinse quinoa in a colander (make sure the holes are small enough that the quinoa does not go through). Once rinsed place in a small pot with water.

Uncovered bring to a boil, then cover and lower heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes. Let quinoa cool slightly then fluff with a fork and either serve or use in desired recipe.

What are some of your favorite quinoa recipes? Share in the comments below

Miss last week’s mini bite recipe? Check out Dairy Free Macaroni Mini Bites

Mini Bites that Delight – Macaroni Bites

Posted on March 10, 2017 by Carmen

I love mini bites! You know those cute little bite size foods that you pop into your mouth in one bite and are often bursting with flavor? How do they get all those ingredients into that tiny little compact dish anyway?

I had often wondered why people would want to take the time to make these itsy bitsy bites, other than the fact that they are cute and look pretty (and may possibly even impress your guests when you’re hosting a party). Making them looked like a lot of work and that I thought I would need to eat at least 5 or 6 to feel full.

Then I discovered how fun they were and came to the understanding that they are meant to be served as appetizers, which you are not supposed to fill up on anyway, and not full meals. They are also great for kids, especially ones who have smaller appetites as they can have one or two and feel full without having any waste – instead of having a bigger portion and not eating it all. It is also a great way to introduce new foods to kids as you are giving it to them in a fun way and again with the smaller portion size, if they do not like it the waste is minimized.

And there are so many different mini bite recipes to try you’ll never run out of ideas. You can come up with almost any combination and likely be successful. So I’ve been on the lookout this month for mini bite recipes to try. Looking for combinations that I knew would work and then considering how I might create one on my own.

This week I started with macaroni bites, which are one of the more popular and common mini bite recipes out there, and usually a hit with kids. I loved this recipe as it has a super cheesy sauce and is simple to make. Also easy to make dairy free, these delicious bites will have you easily gobbling two or three!

Macaroni Mini Bites – Dairy Free (can be made gluten free if you use brown rice or other gluten free pasta)

1 c. elbow macaroni

2 tbsp. Earth Balance Vegan Spread

2 tbsp. flour

1 1/2 c. almond milk (or non dairy milk of choice)

2 c. Daiya cheddar shreds

1/4 c. vegan cream cheese

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 egg beaten

Optional additions: bacon, cayenne, paprika

Grease well your mini muffin tin (like really well. This is the one downside of mini bites is those muffin tins, they stick and are hard to clean. Greasing it well does help but sometimes you have to scoop around them very carefully to get them out. If you can find mini cupcake liners you could use those and it would make getting them out and clean up a little easier. This may not work though if you want a certain look without the papers on them).

Cook pasta according to package directions, rinse and set aside. In a medium size pan whisk the vegan spread and flour together until melted and smooth.

Slowly add non dairy milk and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, add 1 1/2 c. of the cheese, vegan cream cheese, salt and pepper. Stir until smooth and creamy. Remove from heat.

In a large mixing bowl carefully stir pasta, cheese sauce and well beaten egg until pasta is evenly coated and mixed in.

Using a teaspoon, spoon mac and cheese into prepared mini muffin tin, topping each with a small bit of cheese.

Bake bites at 400F for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool 5 minutes, then gently remove bites from tin.

The first time I made these I made the original plain recipe but I felt that they were missing something. So I would highly recommend adding in real bacon bits, or a dash of cayenne or paprika to add a little zest.

These are also a fun and easy recipe to make with kids. They can easily help with mixing it all together and scooping the pasta into the muffin tins. Kids love to help and research shows that if they help make it they are more apt to eat it!

Don’t miss next week’s recipe Quinoa Pizza Mini Bites.

What is your favorite mini bite recipe? Share in the comments below.

Kids Healthy Cooking – Plain Pancakes

Posted on March 3, 2016 by Carmen

In the spirit of celebrating Pancake Tuesday recently in February, I decided to make pancakes in my Mini Chefs class at Trico Center. Pancake Tuesday is a holiday I love, also called Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras, it is the day before the beginning of Lent, and in the times of no refrigerator, it was a time to eat up all the foods that were considered fatty, would go bad and that people would ‘give up’ during the Lenten season.

Besides what child does not love pancakes? I do not know many, so I knew that they would be a hit with all my kids, even some of my more particular eaters. I decided to go with a basic plain pancake recipe, as I feel this should be a staple in every home, plus it is easy to ‘dress up’ in a variety of different ways. Of course, there is the traditional maple syrup and butter, but you can also have fruit toppings, ice cream and whip cream to name a few options.

Plain pancakes are also really easy to make with kids, as there is a lot of measuring, scooping and mixing involved. It actually takes longer to cook the pancakes than it does to make the batter! I had each of the kids take a turn measuring an ingredient and dumping it into the bowl. Then a few of them had a turn mixing it up, which honestly this job is easily done by one person, but I find the kids really love to mix stuff. I could easily occupy them all day with mixing (parents something to think about lol).

The kids were also very interested in watching the pancakes cook. I had them all stand at a safe distance from the pan and they watched as I poured the batter in and then waited for them to cook. For those that were interested, I pointed out the bubbles that were forming on top and that when they had lots of bubbles it meant it was time to flip them over. One little girl thought this was fascinating.

Once we had all the pancakes cooked we sat down to enjoy them! I had cut up fruit in advance, bananas, apples and strawberries and told them were we going to make faces on our pancakes with our fruit. Chloe who had done this before at our house, demonstrated what to do and then picked up her pancake and started eating. I was surprised to see all the other kids follow suit, with not a single one asking where the maple syrup was – which I actually did have to go with our pancakes that day. But since they did not ask for it, I just tucked it away and let them enjoy the pancakes and fruit faces they made. It was pretty easy and it was super fun.

Plain Pancakes

2 c. whole wheat flour

6 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 egg

2 ¼ c. non-dairy milk of choice – almond milk, coconut milk, etc.

Mix together all ingredients in a bowl. Pour ¼ c. batter on hot griddle. When bubbles form on top, flip pancakes over. Cook for another 3 minutes. Top with favorite fruit or enjoy with pure maple syrup.