BBQ Fixin’s: Mint Chip Coconut Milk Ice Cream

So I must confess. I don’t follow a paleo diet 100% of the time. There. I said it. Please don’t leave me mean comments, or worse: stop reading my posts!

Today there were these cupcakes…ice cream cupcakes to be exact. And 2 lovely ladies I have the pleasure of working with convinced me to split one with them 3 ways…and then of course there was a different kind to try so I split another one. Overall I didn’t quite eat an entire ice cream cupcake :). Please forgive me for my honesty. I. AM. NOT. PERFECT. Nor will I ever be. And the cupcake was really good.

Moving on. To a recipe that allows you (and me) to enjoy an ice cream treat without large amounts of sugar and it involves absolutely no dairy! I have some terrible seasonal allergies, and although I can’t say they have gone away completely, the amount of congestion I endure is much less since I have stopped eating dairy regularly. However, when I do eat it (like today) I can definitely tell.

Applesauce Muffins

It’s Sunday night and I have gone the whole weekend without baking something chocolate!!!

It’s killing me. And as I write this, I am eating celery with peanut butter and coconut. It’s good, but it’s not a brownie :(.

Earlier this week I made these muffins, and although healthy, they were enough to squelch my desire for something sweeter. They have white whole wheat flour, carrots, and organic applesauce. They were so healthy, I let Owen eat some :).

I was able to make them on a weeknight because they didn’t really take that long to make. These applesauce muffins are great for breakfast or a snack!

Applesauce Muffins 

Topping

• 2/3 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons butter

Batter

• 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup organic unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup carrots, pulsed several times in food processor
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 egg

1. MAKE STREUSEL Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 12-cup muffin tin or line with baking cups. Melt butter and mix topping ingredients together.
2. MAKE BATTER Combine flour oats, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon in a ziploc. Mix together applesauce, milk, carrots, sugar, melted butter, and egg. Stir in flour mixture just until combined. Batter will be lumpy
3. DIVIDE AND BAKE Divide batter among muffin cups and sprinkle with topping. Bake until toothpick comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Easy, Somewhat Healthy, Chocolate Granola

If you’re looking to eat EXTREMELY healthy this year, this recipe is probably not for you. But, if you’re looking to at least stop eating cocoa pebbles for breakfast and move to a more mature, delicious, chocolate-y bowl of goodness, this granola is for you.

Cocoa Pebbles used to be one of my breakfast staples, and before that Cocoa Krispies. Not sure when the switch to pebbles came, but I still confess that I like both of them. However, since they have little to no nutritional value to start my day, I refrain from eating either anymore. In fact, we don’t even keep any type of cereal in our house anymore. Old Fashioned Oats, Whole Wheat Toast and eggs are what we choose to start our day with at the Reppert house.

Every once in a while, though, I like to make these sort of, grown-up Cocoa Pebbles. The recipe has oats, and nuts, and flax seeds…so its healthy, right? Right. Healthier. 

This recipe is so easy to make and I wrote it, so a lot of the measurements are in handfuls…which means…fewer dishes to do!

Do fewer dishes and enjoy your bowl of chocolate-y goodness!

Chocolate Granola

Ingredients:

7-8 handfuls of Old Fashioned Oats

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 Tablespoons ground flax seed

1 handful nuts (I used pecans, almonds, and black walnuts–all worked fine)

1 handful semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 handful unsweetened coconut

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup melted coconut oil or butter

2 Tablespoons honey

2 Tablespoons peanut butter

1. COMBINE INGREDIENTS Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add wet ingredients. Stir until well combined.

2. BAKE AND STIR Put ingredients in a 9×13 glass baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes and stir. Bake for 5 more minutes and stir again. Continue baking in 5 minute intervals until chocolate chips are melted and oats are light brown in color. Better to under-cook then burn.

3. LET COOL (DON’T EAT ALL OF IT WHILE IT’S COOLING) Let cool in pan for 10-15 minutes. Pour out onto parchment paper and cool completely. Put in airtight container and enjoy for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, or a snack.