Healthy Rice Crispy Squares (gluten-free and dairy-free)

Recipe from https://nutritioninthekitch.com/healthy-cocoa-rice-crispy-squares/
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 9 to 12 squares depending on how big you wish your squares to be.

These delicious rice crispy treats is given a delicious chocolate twist with cocoa powder and natural sweetener. We like eating one with a cup of hot tea.  

Ingredients
4 cups brown rice crisps cereal (Nature's Path is great, but you can use
any brand)
¼ cup natural almond butter
1/3 cup raw honey
¼ cup Earth Balance vegan butter 
3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
¼ cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Pinch of salt (optional)

Instructions
1. In a pan over low heat melt the vegan butter, almond butter, and honey
and stir until well combined.
2. In a large bowl add the rice crisps cereal, coconut, and cocoa powder.
3. Pour the melted almond butter mixture over the cereal mixture and stir
until well combined.
4. Press the mixture into a 8x8 pan lined with parchment paper (the
smaller the pan the thicker the squares).
5. Top with another piece of parchment paper and press the mixture firmly
into the pan. Very firmly.
6. Place the pan in the freezer for 1 hour and move to the fridge and leave
overnight.
7. In the morning cut into squares (9 or 12 squares depending on the size you wish) and enjoy!
8. Store the remaining bars in the fridge.

Nutritional Information: (1 of 12 squares) 108 calories; 2 g protein; 16 g carbohydrates; 5 g fat; 2 g saturated fat; 25 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 8 g sugars; 2 g fiber; 23 mg calcium

No-Knead Honey (or Maple) Oatmeal Bread

Recipe from Artisan Bread with Steve 
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 1 Loaf

This bread is just fantastic.  It not only tastes great, but it has a nice chew, perfect for a sandwich or to serve along side a hot bowl of soup or stew.  It is the easiest bread in the world to make, so it's ideal for beginner bakers.  

16 oz. cool water

1 ½ teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoon yeast (Instant Yeast or Active Dry Yeast)

1 Tablespoon honey or maple syrup (Using maple syrup will make this loaf vegan.)

3 ½ cups bread flour

1 cup Old fashioned oats 

¼ cup old fashioned oats for the second rise

3 Tablespoons bread flour for the second rise

Place all ingredients in a large bowl except the additional ¼ cup oats.  Stir until the flour is absorbed and scraping the sides of the bowl as you stir.

Cover with plastic wrap (I like to use a shower cap for this.) and allow to sit on the counter for 8-24 hours. (I think it’s best for flavor to allow the dough to sit for the 24 hours.)

Remove the plastic wrap.  Spray an 8 ½” X 4 ½”loaf pan*** with cooking spray.  

Stir the dough to deflate.  Scrape the sides of the bowl clean.  Sprinkle the dough the ¼ cup old fashioned oats. Stir so that the dough ball is covered with the extra oats. Sprinkle the dough with the 3 Tablespoons of bread flour and stir until the sides of the bowl are clean.  Dump the dough into the loaf pan.  

Cover with another loaf pan turned upside down onto the loaf pan with the dough.  Use binder clips to clip the loaf pans together creating a “poor man’s Dutch oven.”  

Allow the dough to rise again for 30-60 minutes.  As the dough is rising, move the oven rack to the lower third of the oven.  Preheat the oven to 400F.  

Bake for 35-40 minutes with the top on and 3-15 minutes with the top off to finish (browning) the crust.  

The bread is done when the internal temperature is 190F.  Remove the bread from the pan onto a cooling rack.  Cool completely before slicing.  (If you slice it too soon, the bread will be doughy inside.)

***Because I was baking more than one loaf of bread, I placed the dough into an 8” diameter springform pan.  Then, I covered it with an upside down 8” cake pan for the “poor man’s Dutch oven.”  I didn’t use any clips.  I just rested the upside down cake pan on top. The loaf turned out beautifully and it was round!

Almond, Prune and Apricot Breakfast Bars (Gluten-Free)

Recipe from The Bojon Gourmet adapted from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

Makes 12 bars

While these were named breakfast bars, I think they make a much better snack or lunchbox addition or even a lovely gift for a favorite friend.  We loved everything about these bars.  The texture is tender and chewy with a bit of crunch.  The sweetness is the right amount, due to the dried fruit and the bit of honey.  And there's a little kiss of almond and orange.   

1/2 teaspoon zest 

3 Tablespoons fresh orange juice

1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped

1/2 cup prunes, chopped

2/3 cup sliced almonds, plus a few extra for the top

1 1/2 cups quick oats

2 Tablespoons ground flax seed 

2 Tablespoons oat flour

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 ground cinnamon

1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons almond butter

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup honey (One of the original recipe reviewers replaced the honey with maple syrup, which would make these vegan.)

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat the oven to 325F.  Line the bottom and sides of an 8" X 8" square baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Place the chopped dried fruit in a heat proof bowl.  Put the orange juice in a small saucepan and bring to a bare simmer over a medium flame.  Pour the hot orange juice over the dried prunes and dried apricots, stirring a bit.  Set this aside.

Spread the sliced almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until fragrant, about 5 minutes.  Put the sliced almonds in a large bowl along with the oats, ground flax, the oat flour, salt and cinnamon.

In another bowl, put the orange zest, add the almond butter, olive oil, honey and almond extract and whisk to combine.

Add the almond butter mixture and the dried fruit mixture to the oat mixture and stir until well combined.

Scrape the mixture into the lined baking pan.  Use moistened fingers to press it firmly and evenly into the pan.  Sprinkle with the extra almond slices and press them in a bit.

Bake until the top is golden, about 25-30 minutes.  Place the pan on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before removing with the parchment paper "handles" to a cutting board.  Use a sharp large chef's knife to cut the bar into 12 pieces.

The bars will keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Nutritional Information: (1 of 12 bars) 222 calories; 25 g carbohydrates; 5 g protein; 13 g fat; 1 g saturated fat; 99 mg sodium; 274 mg potassium; 4 g fiber; 12 g sugars; 255 IU vitamin A; 1.7 mg vitamin C; 54 mg calcium; 1.4 mg iron

Harvest Sweet Potato Bread

 

Recipe adapted from King Arthur Baking

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

Makes 1 (9" X 5" loaf)

This bread is just so dang delicious that it could be considered dangerous to have about.  That's all there is to it.  I've made it three times now within a month's time and it turns out perfectly.  I love the texture and the slight sweetness of it.  It's great on its own, but would make a stupendous sandwich bread or toasted, it would go very nicely with a cup of hot tea. The original recipe gave only directions for making this in a bread machine, but since I no longer have one, I had to make do.  So, below, you will find exactly how I made it.  If you wish to make it in a bread machine, I left a link to the original recipe above.  I have contacted King Arthur with questions about making this vegan and I'm awaiting their answer.  When I know, I'll update this post.

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour plus more for kneading

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 Tablespoon vital wheat gluten (Optional.  I didn't have any, and as you can see, the bread turned out great.)

1/2 cup mashed sweet potato (I can usually get enough for three recipes by boiling and mashing one large sweet potato.) 

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons instant yeast

1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts or pecans (I've tried both with good results.  I'm thinking hazelnuts would be lovely in this bread.)

1/4 cup milk (I've used unsweetened almond milk and also tried oat milk with good results.)

3/4 cup water

3 Tablespoons honey (I'm thinking if you wish to make this vegan, you could probably use maple syrup instead.)

1/2 cup mashed sweet potato

1/2 cup raisins or dried currants (I've tried golden raisins and then another time, I used dried currants.)

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter (I don't know if you can substitute vegan butter, but I'm thinking it would work.)

In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, the whole wheat flour, the salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, yeast, and nuts.  Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, water, honey, sweet potato, butter, and raisins.  Heat until lukewarm, about  90-110 degrees F.  Pour the lukewarm liquid mixture into the flour mixture.  Stir until all the flour is incorporated and you have a sticky dough.  Turn it out onto a well floured counter/board.  Knead for 5-7 minutes, adding a bit of flour as you go to keep it from sticking.  (You may need a bench scraper to begin.) Spray a bit of oil into a large bowl. (I used coconut oil, but canola or any unflavored oil would be fine.) Place the dough ball into the bowl and turn it so that it is lightly coated with the oil.  Cover with a piece of oiled plastic wrap and then a towel.  Let the dough rise for 60-90 minutes (It always takes 90 minutes for me.) It should look well-risen and puffy.  Punch down the dough a bit and then shape it into a loaf shape.  Place it in a greased 9-inch by 5-inch metal loaf pan.  Again, cover with the oiled plastic wrap.  Allow it to rise again for 60 minutes.  Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  When the hour is up and the oven is preheated, place the loaf pan in the oven and bake for 35-45 minutes or until the internal temperature of the bread is about 190 degrees F.  Remove the bread from the oven and turn it out of the pan onto a cooling rack.  Let it cool completely before slicing.  Store, well wrapped for 5 days on the counter or for up to 3 months in the freezer.

**NOTE:  I contacted King Arthur about veganizing this recipe.  It looks like it won't be a problem at all.  Here's the exchange:

Q: I was wondering if maple syrup could replace the honey and vegan butter could replace the butter. I have successfully made this with unsweetened almond milk and again with oat milk. I'd like to be able to "veganize" this bread.

---

A: Hi Alice! Yes, you can absolutely use those substitutions without changing the consistency of the bread. Good luck and happy baking! Geoff@KA

Dark Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons (Gluten-Free)

Recipe from Downshiftology

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

Makes 8 macaroons

When you are compelled to utter "mmmm" after each bite, you know you've found a great keeper of a recipe.  These are fantastic and so easy to make, you will want to make a few batches.  They are very pretty too and would look especially nice on any dessert platter.

2 large egg whites

1/4 cup honey (I used raw honey.)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes (finely shredded, not the big flakes)

4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped or use chips

Preheat the oven to 325F.  Add the add the egg whites, honey, vanilla extract and salt to a heat-proof mixing bowl.  Place the mixing bowl on top of a saucepan with 1-2 inches of simmering water (creating a double boiler).  Stir the mixture (I used a whisk.)  for 5 minutes, until frothy and very warm to the touch.  

Add the coconut and stir it into the mixture until it's well combined and no liquid remains.

Using a medium cookie scoop (1 1/2 Tablespoons) place mounds of the batter onto a parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake the coconut macaroons for 25 minutes, checking on them towards the end to make sure they're not browning too quickly.  

Let the cool completely on the baking tray before removing otherwise they may fall apart.

Meanwhile, wash and dry the bowl and set it over simmering water again.  Place the chocolate in the bowl.  Stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth.  

When the macaroons are completely cooled, dip them into the melted chocolate.  Return them to the parchment paper lined baking tray and chill in the fridge for 5 minutes or until the chocolate is firm.  

Tip: If you have any leftover melted chocolate, you can dip dried or fresh fruit into it, such as dried apricots or banana slices, etc.  (Below you will see a jar of chocolate dipped dried apricots that I made using the leftover chocolate.  They made a great snack.)

To Store: Store the macaroons in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.  They can be frozen for up to 3 months.  Just be sure to layer parchment paper in between so that they don't stick.  To defrost, let them sit on the counter at room temperature to soften them before serving.

Nutritional Information: (1 of 8 cookies) 178 calories; 14 g carbohydrates; 2 g protein; 14 g fat; 83 mg sodium; 133 mg potassium; 3 g fiber; 10 g sugars; 1 mg vitamin C; 6 mg calcium; 1 mg iron

Winter Salad Hummus Bowls with Seedy Power Sprinkle

Recipe from Anna Stockwell via Epicurious

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Serves 4

5 Tablespoons unseasoned brown rice vinegar

1 Tablespoon honey

1 Tablespoon tamari or soy sauce

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 bunch kale, stems removed, torn into bit-sized pieces OR 4 cups baby kale

1 lb. brussels sprouts, trimmed, thinly sliced

4 Hard-Cooked Eggs, cut in half

1 cup store bought or homemade hummus

1 cup Seedy Power Sprinkle*

Flaky sea salt, for serving

Freshly ground pepper, for serving

Whisk the unseasoned brown rice vinegar, honey, tamari or soy sauce, kosher salt and ¼ cup olive oil in a large bowl.

Add the kale and brussels sprouts to the vinaigrette.  Toss and massage with your hands until the kale is darker in color and the vegetables are coated in the dressing.

Smear about ¼ cup of hummus onto the side of each bowl or plate.  Top with the salad and egg halves. Season the eggs with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.  Drizzle with oil and top with the Seedy Power Sprinkle.

Notes:  Unpeeled eggs can be prepared 2 days ahead.  The vegetable salad can be made 8 hours in advance. 

Seedy Power Sprinkle

1 large egg white

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 Tablespoons honey

1 Tablespoon Aleppo-style pepper (optional)

1 Tablespoon water

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 cup sunflower seeds

½ cup chia seeds

½ cup flaxseeds

½ cup raw sesame seeds

Whisk egg white, oil, honey, pepper (if using), salt, and water in a medium bowl to combine.  Add the sunflower seeds, chia seeds, flaxseeds, and sesame seeds and stir to coat.  Let sit until the liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 325F.  Spread the seed mixture in an even layer on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet.  Bake, stirring very gently after 10 minutes to encourage the mixture to from small clusters, until golden brown and crisp, 20-25 minutes.  Let cool.  Sprinkle can be made 2 weeks in advance.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature.  Use them for the salad listed above or use them to sprinkle atop yogurt, soups, or on anything you wish to add a bit of crunch.

Quinoa Bowl with Berry “Milk”

Recipe from Simply Quinoa

Adapted & Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 2 generous servings (Can be halved or doubled.)

If you are in a breakfast rut and you wish to try a little something different, give this yummy bowl a go. By preparing the quinoa in advance (it freezes beautifully) this breakfast is a snap to make.

¼ cup Hemp Seeds

¾ cup Water

1 cup Berries

1 Maple Syrup or Honey

2 cups Cooked Quinoa*

Add the water, maple syrup, hemp seeds, and berries to a high power blender.  Blend on high until smooth and the consistency of milk.  Set aside.  Portion out the quinoa between two bowls and sprinkle on toppings.

Topping Options:

¼ cup Seasonal Fruits/Berries

2 Tablespoons Nuts and/or Seeds or Homemade Coconut-Buckwheat Granola** or your favorite granola

*How-To Prepare Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah). Just 1 cup of uncooked quinoa will yield almost 4 cups cooked. Here's what you will need to cook the quinoa: 1 cup uncooked quinoa; 2 cups water for cooking; a sieve; water for rinsing; a saucepan with a cover and a kitchen timer.  Place 1 cup of uncooked quinoa in a sieve (strainer.) Quinoa has a bitter coating (called saponin) that must be rinsed off.  An effective method for rinsing off the bitter coating is to place the quinoa seeds in a fine-meshed strainer and run cold water over the quinoa while gently rubbing the seeds together in your hands. Place the rinsed quinoa in a saucepan and add the 2 cups water. Bring the cooking liquid to a rolling boil. Turn down the heat to a simmer. Place a tight-fitting lid on the saucepan. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes. (Set a kitchen timer to 15 minutes so you won't forget to check for doneness.)  Fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork.  Cooked quinoa can be frozen once cooled.

**Coconut-Buckwheat Granola

Serves 12 (serving size: about 1/3 cup)

Recipe from Cooking Light Magazine

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

1½ cups old-fashioned oats

½ cup unsweetened flaked dried coconut

½ cup almonds, coarsely chopped

½ cup unsalted pumpkin seeds

¼ cup uncooked buckwheat groats

2 Tablespoons canola oil or coconut oil

2 Tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 375F.  Combine the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl.  Combing the oil, honey, salt and cinnamon in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.  Add the honey mixture to the oat mixture; stir well to coat.  Spread oat mixture in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake for 15-20 minutes** or until golden brown, stirring once after 10 minutes.  (If your oven bakes hot, check the granola at 15 minutes to make sure it’s not burning.) Cool completely before storing and serving.  The granola will crisp up as it cools.