Ok. I’m a sucker for a good cookie, but being gluten free for the last 3 years, has seriously hampered my Cookie Monster mentality. Most of the GF cookies that are commercially available, are filled with processed flours, binders and unhealthy oils. So, I set out to create my own version of a healthy cookie. I stumbled upon the idea of a healthy bar….some people call them bliss balls. I love these! They are easy to make, they are raw, GF, dairy free, grain free, sugar free and adaptable. They are NOT fat free, but I’m ok with that. Say yes to healthy fats:) I eat them with my coffee for a quick, protein filled breakfast, before a long hike or to cut my sweet tooth craving in the evening. I limit myself to 2 a day.
They are pretty, aren’t they?!
So this recipe is a version of what you can find all over Pinterest. The biggest difference, is that I found this great company, Nikki’s Coconut Butter, that produces coconut butter in a variety of flavors. The ingredients are healthy and straight forward. Most have honey or maple syrup added for sweetness, but they are not too sweet. Plus, all of the available flavors offer great inspiration for other flavors of energy bites!
I love this stuff….no added nonsense!
I’m going to use this as a base for many other variations, but give this one a try!
1 Jar (2oz) of Nikki"s Coconut Butter (Dark Chocolate Fudge)
¼ Cup Peanut Butter
¼ 1/4 cup raw Cacao Nibs
Shredded coconut to dust
Instructions
Place all ingredients into a food processor, adding 2 ingredients at a time. Blend until a thick 'dough' is formed. Form into small, bite sized balls. Coat evenly with shredded coconut. cover and store in refrigerator for up to 5 days!
I went nuts at the farmer’s market again today! I generally get so excited, that I forget that I only have a short period of time to eat the multiple bags of veggies, fruits and greens that I bring home. This is a recipe I came up with, after such a trip!
I found the most beautiful hued kale! Light green in color with a gorgeous light purple trim. It’s called Russian Kale. Despite it’s lighter color, the leaves are quite tough. it’s probably meant to be used in cooking, but I was determined to use it in a salad. The key to making a great kale salad is to thinly shred and massage your kale! So I decided that this particular kale would need to be more finely shredded and require more vigorous massaging;) I am up for the task!
I picked up these fantastic herb scissors at William Sonoma, but any kitchen scissors will work! Cut the kale into thin, ribbon shaped pieces and remove any thick stems!
Here is were the fun begins! Drizzle about 3 TBS of EVOO over the shredded kale and sprinkle with 1/4-1/2 tsp of good salt. Massage your kale. Be rough with it! Bruise it! Batter it! 3 minutes should be sufficient, but if in doubt, massage a bit more! If you are interested in making this recipe a bit more substantial, you could add 1-2 cups of cooked quinoa at this point, as well. The warm quinoa will help to breakdown the kale fiber.
At this point, I like to add my dressing. The simplest ingredients make the best food, so just sherry vinegar, lemon juice, EVOO and salt should be perfect!
If you crave more flavor, add a hefty scoop of your favor pesto. By adding the dressing to the salad now, you are allowing the flavors to properly infuse into your kale! you can also add the nuts and cheese. I used pistachios and parmesan cheese. Pepitas, sesame seeds, almonds and cashews are some of my favorite nuts that I add to salads. For cheese, I often use feta, cotija and blue cheese (when I’m feeling decadent).
Now, you can shave the asparagus. This is an easy way to eat asparagus raw, without cooking it:) Just peel it like you’re peeling a carrot. Add it to your salad. Let the flavors soak in! Next, fire roast the bulbs of the spring onions.
Charred Spring Onion!
Char the bulbs, one at a time, directly on the flame of a gas range….unless you are using a BBQ. In that case, you can roast them all at once! You want to make sure that the bulbs get nice and charred on all sides. The goal is to get them so fired up, that they are black, soft and start to ooze (about 5 minutes). Place aside to cool. Once they have cooled down, removed charred skins and slice the bulbs thinly. They should be completely soft and cooked through.The greens of the onion can be sliced and added to the salad, as well!
Adding quinoa and chicken, bulks up this salad into a substantial dinner!
The salad is complete! Add salt and pepper to taste, or another squeeze of lemon, if needed. At this point you can add cooked chicken to make this a substantial meal. I love this salad, because, in my small household of 2, it lasts for a couple days and gets tastier the longer it sits!
