Year: 2013

Coconut Truffles (Vegan and Gluten Free)

Melissa King 73 Comments

Coconut Truffles that are vegan and gluten free.  Let’s be honest, these coconut vegan truffles are not an everyday treat, but when you want to indulge a bit, it makes the perfect little bite of sweetness with none of the bad stuff!

These were a big hit in our family and I hope you like them too!

 

coconut truffles

 

They only take minutes to make too!  I must admit, I rolled these a bit big, so they were more than a bite.  I suggest rolling yours into a bite friendly size.

These should keep in the fridge for quite some time.  I used coconut butter in this so when you take a bite, the coconut literally melts in your mouth.

If you haven’t tried coconut butter yet, you need too!  That stuff is so good!  I get Nutiva Organic Coconut Manna.  If you like my Coconut Cream Larabars, you will love these!

Looking for more truffle recipes?

Coconut Truffles

Coconut Truffles

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Prep Time 15 min Serves 15 truffles     adjust servings

Chocolate and coconut make the perfect combination for these delicious truffles!

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. In a food processor , combine the dates and shredded coconut.
  2. Then, add in the coconut butter and coconut oil.
  3. Pulse until a dough starts to form.
  4. When the dough is formed, roll into bite sized balls and place in the fridge on a lined baking sheet . Parchment paper works great for this so the balls don’t stick.
  5. Once the balls are firm, heat your chocolate and milk using a double boiler.
  6. Stir constantly until the chocolate is smooth.
  7. Take each ball and roll into the chocolate and place back on the parchment lined sheet.
  8. Put in the fridge for a few hours so the chocolate can set back up.

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Recipe Notes

I should add, when you go to eat one out of the fridge, it will seem hard to bite into at first. As soon as you chew it though, the coconut melts in your mouth. Enjoy!

Tropical Fruit Punch

Melissa King 996 Comments

Well you all know I love to juice, and I love my Breville juicer.  I use it daily.  This is perfect for hot days like we are having this summer here in Texas.

tropical fruit punch watermark

Tropical Fruit Punch

Tropical Fruit Punch

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Prep Time 5 min

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cup mango sliced
  • 2 nectarines sliced with pits removed
  • 2 cups honey dew melon sliced
  • 1/2 lime

Instructions

  1. Juice the fruits in the order of the ingredients. If you don’t have a juicer, you can blend everything in a blender .

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Recipe Notes

I am sure it will be equally delicious that way! This juice would be great for backyard parties. Add a little vodka and you have a great adult beverage too. Next time I make it, I am going to pour the mixture into my popsicle molds .

Blueberries and Cream Popsicles

Melissa King 53 Comments

Here in Texas it’s a steamy one hundred degrees this hot summer day.  So, what do you want most on hot days?  Homemade Blueberries and Cream Popsicles!  Kids love food on a stick and ice cream is no exception.

My kids love it.  But, let’s face it, most store-bought frozen treats are laden with excess sugar and too many chemicals.  Not these Blueberries and Cream Popsicles!

blueberries and cream popsicles

blueberry ice cream watermark

She loves her ice cream!  I love these pop molds too because they have a little tray to catch all the drips.  No mess.  Love that idea!  Well, almost no mess.

olive water mark copy

She may be messy, but she is so darn cute!  I wanted make this popsicle recipe ever since I saw some Pina Colada Popsicles on The Midnight Baker’s blog.  They looked AMAZING!  I just ran out of pineapple, so I subbed blueberries.  Came out super good, but I am trying her recipe as soon as I get my hands on some pineapple!

Blueberries and Cream Popsicles

Blueberries and Cream Popsicles

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Prep Time 5 min Serves 6 popsicles     adjust servings

Creamy coconut milk and fresh blueberries is always a winning combination!

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Pour all ingredients into a blender and blend for about 90 seconds.
  2. Take a taste, if it’s sweet enough, pour into popsicle molds or smoothie pop molds .
  3. If not, feel free to add more maple syrup and blend for a few more seconds.I think I used 2 tablespoons maple syrup total in mine.

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Recipe Notes

If you don’t have pop molds, you can even make it ice cream, using an ice cream machine . All these options are great. I hope you and your family enjoy them as much as we did. There will be more popsicle recipes coming this summer too!

Refreshing Watermelon Punch

Melissa King 32 Comments

I love my juicer.  Ever since I bought it, I have been juicing every morning.  I feel great.  The other day, I bought a huge watermelon from Sprouts.  So I decided to make this punch.  The taste of watermelon instantly takes me back to summer BBQs when I was a kid.  My parents used to have big summer parties and watermelon was always a staple.

watermelon 1 watermark

This is easy to make and very refreshing.  I loved that it is a “juice” I can give my kids.  They loved it too!  If you don’t have a juicer, you can do it in a Vitamix and strain, or even leave it chunky.  You could also make some yummy popsicles using these molds
as well!

Refreshing Watermelon Punch

Refreshing Watermelon Punch

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Prep Time 10 min

Ingredients

  • 4 cups watermelon
  • 1-2 T lime juice
  • 1-2 cups mineral water (optional)
  • Garnish with thinly sliced limes

Instructions

  1. Juice or blend the watermelon and then add in the lime.
  2. Add a little lime at a time until you get it to your liking.

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Recipe Notes

My batch made a pretty small amount. About enough to fill a large mason jar with no ice. If you are making this for a party, I would suggest doubling the batch. It should keep in the fridge for at least 4 days. Enjoy!

Carrot Ginger Detox Salad (Vegan, Gluten Free)

Melissa King 15 Comments

Carrot Ginger Detox Salad.  On Memorial Day, my daughter wanted to have a picnic at the park.  Since it was a spontaneous decision, we stopped at Whole Foods to get some picnic food.

My husband and I shared two things that day they were absolutely delicious.  The first one was a rice salad.  I re-created that for the blog already with my Wheat Berry Salad with Cranberries.  The other thing we had was a detox salad.  So, this is my version of that.

 

carrot ginger detox salad

 

This was amazing!  Super easy too.  I just had to share it with all of you.

 

Carrot Ginger Detox Salad

Carrot Ginger Detox Salad

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Ingredients

    For the salad

    • 1-2 heads of broccoli
    • 3 carrots shredded
    • 2 cups cooked quinoa

    For the dressing

    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • 2 T toasted sesame oil
    • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
    • 1/4 cup mirin
    • 1 T soy sauce or Bragg's Aminos (for GF) (I used organic SanJ shoyu )
    • 2 tsp fresh grated ginger
    • salt to taste

    Instructions

    1. Steam the broccoli. I used a rice cooker/steamer to do this. 
    2. In a sauce pan , cook the quinoa according to the package instructions.  I already had some quinoa in my fridge.  We always have some kind of grain in the fridge to make our meals stretch longer. 
    3. While the broccoli is steaming and the quinoa is cooking, throw all the ingredients together for the dressing. 
    4. Whisk them in a small bowl . 
    5. Once the quinoa and broccoli are done throw everything together in one big bowl .

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    Recipe Notes

    This should last at least a week in the fridge. I think it tastes great hot or cold. I got about 4-5 servings out of my batch. Enjoy!

    Overnight Oats in a Jar

    Melissa King 78 Comments

    I am a fan of all things oats.  Loaded with protein and fiber, but relatively low in calories.  The high amount of fiber keeps you with a full feeling for a long time afterward.  Something that boxed cereal could never do.  I often have homemade granola for breakfast.  This is so easy, I wonder why I didn’t try it sooner!

    overnight oats watermark

    I initially saw a recipe on Food Babe’s blog called, The Perfect Parfait.  Her recipe inspired me to try it.  So good!  I love how this recipe is very adaptable.  You can really add whatever you like and change it up daily so you never get bored. I used a recycled pickle jar to hold my oats, but a mason jar would work well too. This is great for those mornings that you really have to rush.

    Overnight Oats in a Jar

    Overnight Oats in a Jar

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    Prep Time 5 min

    Ingredients

    Instructions

    1. Rinse your groats beforehand. Throw everything in the jar the night before.  If you like things a little sweet, you could throw in some chopped dates or raisins. 
    2. Store in the fridge overnight.  Just pull out and eat in the morning.  Easy as that. This will be a breakfast I will have at least twice a week. I love it and I hope you will too.

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