Category: Chocolate

Luscious White Chocolate Cheesecake on a Fudgy Brownie Crust | A Rich and Decadent Vegan Dessert

3/8/2018

A homemade brownie is topped with a white chocolate cheesecake and adorned with more chocolate and sliced almonds. An easy dessert to assemble with the wow-factor in full-force. It's a very rich dessert yet is somehow laced with good health. From almonds to dates to cacao powder you can find all that and more. This is a #plantbased/#vegan, #glutenfree and #oilfree dessert yet you'd never ever know it. I spent time perfecting the "perfect" cheesecake and this is my take. It is the Luscious Cheesecake from "The Artistic Vegan Cookbook: An Alchemical Transformation" dressed up as I was celebrating my birthday!

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars (Raw, Vegan, GF)

12/18/2017

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I've added my vegan touch to a classic dessert my mom would make each year around Christmas. They're sensational. If you love chocolate and PB then this is your dessert!! They come together in one bowl, require no baking and can be eaten the same day, a no-fail holiday treat.

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No Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

3/9/2017

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Skinny Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache - Artistic Vegan Show 16

1/21/2017

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Hi beautiful friends! We are going to make a gorgeous cake today on the Artistic Vegan Show #16. Moist chocolate cake with chocolate chips inside makes our base, covered with a chocolate ganache.

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Healthy Twix Bars - Raw, Vegan & GF

12/31/2016

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Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

6/18/2016

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Somethings in life are too good not to share. These comforting cookies, are one of those things. Sweet, satisfying, soft, with a slight chew, moist but not too moist. They create perfect, inviting, palm-sized, BIG, beautiful cookies.

These scratched my itch, but like a mosquito bite once you scratch it sometimes it makes it worse and you scratch more, in this case I had one cookie, then a half of one later and the other half shortly thereafter. They are so good!! "Mmm, mmm, mmm" says my husband. I thought these would be a great post to share for Father's Day. Who doesn't love a cookie? Plus, no soaking, refrigerating, just mix, bake, consume, repeat.

"Damn, I gotta have the other half of that cookie" - Gerald. Haha!!

Plus, they are healthy. The original recipe calls for 1 cup of butter vs. 1 cup of sweet potato puree, 1 1/2 cups of sugar vs. 2 tbsp. of agave syrup, plus 1 egg and 1 egg yolk vs. flax meal and water. Say what? I used amaranth flour so they are busting with protein! You can have one after you work out with 12.4 grams of protein a cookie. ;) Get your cookie on with these amazing Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Raisin Cookies! Love, Christa

Makes 10 Huge Cookies

Ingredients:
1 Cup Sweet Potato Puree
1/2 Cup Creamy Natural Peanut Butter
2 Tbsp Agave Syrup
2 tsp Flax Meal
3 Tbsp Water
1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract
2 Cups Amaranth Flour (or All Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Flour)
1 Cup Oats
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Course Sea Salt
1 Cup Chocolate Chips (I used mini)
1 Cup Raisins (I used jumbo)

Loving Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Farenheight. Lightly grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.
Take a baked sweet potato, remove the skin, puree in a food processor until you have 1 cup. Add 1/2 cup peanut butter, 2 Tbsp. Agave, 2 tsp Flax Meal, 3 Tbsp Water and 1 Tbsp Vanilla. Process until well combined.
Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, 2 cups Amaranth Flour, 1 Cup Oats, 1 tsp Baking Powder, 1 tsp Baking Soda, 1 tsp Sea Salt. Add the pureed mixture to the oats. Mix well, kneading if needed until incorporated. Fold in the chips and raisins.
Take 1/3 Cup and fill with cookie dough, thwack it into your palm, with moist hands gently create the cookie shape. Use 1/4 Cup for 20 cookies and a tbsp for smaller servings. Place on the prepared pan, repeat until done.
Bake for 12-17+ minutes until nice and golden, puffy and done on top. We recently moved and this oven seems to have one temperature, HOT, so I only baked them for 9 minutes in a hot oven, I think 12-17 minutes at 325 would be sufficient, but take it longer if needed.
Remove from oven, cool to touch on pan. They will continue cooking on the pan. Transfer to a cooking rack. Enjoy! These make HUGE yummy cookies!

Notes:

You can replace the chocolate chips with dried fruit such as raisins, cranberries, dried cherries and the sort.
You can use your favorite sweetener, pass or use more.
You can use more puree and skip the peanut butter if you are allergic to nuts, or use a seed butter like sunflower.
Waist Disclaimer! These do have a whopping 433 calories a cookie if you make them this large with 12.4 grams of protein, so if you use 1/4 cup you can have 20 cookies at 216 calories and 6.2 grams of protein per cookie. Or 2 tbsp at 108 calories with 3.1 grams of protein a cookie, see? You can still have some! :)
Adapted & Veganized from King Arthur Flour.

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3 Ingredient Homemade Chocolate - Raw & Vegan

2/21/2016

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With only 3 Ingredients you can be making homemade chocolates! This is my staple, quick and easy chocolate recipe. Feel free to add a dash of salt, a hint of flavor with vanilla or your favorite extract, add dried fruit, nuts, nut butter, coconut flakes or anything your heart desires to make a special treat. For fun, watch the quick how to video!

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp Coconut Oil - Melted
3 Tbsp Cacao
2 Tbsp Agave (or desired syrup)

Loving Preparation:
Melt the coconut oil in a hot water bath. Add the cacao and agave. Mix well. Pour into desired mold or a pan line with parchment paper. Freeze until solid. Enjoy!

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Chocolate Filled Strawberries

2/10/2016

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What is better than Chocolate Covered Strawberries? Chocolate Filled Strawberries. With only 4 ingredients and in a mere 10 Minutes you can be biting into a moist, juicy berry with a chocolate filled center. When you are making them, make a couple extras, pop one in your mouth before refrigerating for a shot of chocolate, yum! Then place them in the fridge for 10 minutes and eat them or serve. How easy, delicious and appealing. My husband and I had these alongside the chocolate covered strawberries and decided these were the winners. We both liked them even better! I didn't know that was possible.

Imagine having a gathering and you walk out with a plate of chocolate covered strawberries and chocolate filled strawberries, can you see the eyes lighting up with excitement as they reach for one? Or you surprise your most loved person in the whole world with them! I made them for my husband and I was surprised at how happy he was to be greeted with the plate of beauties and to "test" them for you all!

Ingredients:

16 Strawberries
1 Tbsp Cacao
1 Tbsp Coconut Oil - Melted/Liquid
1 Tbsp Agave

Loving Preparation:

Wash the strawberries. Slice the ends off. Carefully cut out the center making a well for the chocolate.
Mix together the cacao, melted coconut oil and agave until smooth. You can also use leftover chocolate after making chocolate covered strawberries, melted chocolate chips or a melted chunk of a chocolate bar. Note: double or triple chocolate ingredients if needed for bigger berries.
Spoon the chocolate sauce into strawberries. Place each berry in a clean empty ice cube tray so it can hold the berry upright. Continue until done. Place in the fridge for 10+ minutes until the chocolate firms up. Enjoy!

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Chocolate Covered Strawberries

2/9/2016

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Does it get any better than a chocolate covered strawberry? A ripe, juicy, red berry dipped in sweet chocolate. I can actually remember distinct moments of biting into a chocolate covered strawberry. A hard chocolate exterior breaks and bursts the berry into your mouth. One chocolate covered strawberry swoops me away to a heavenly place.

I think you will be pleased with this recipe and how simple it is. It takes few ingredients and you can eat them shortly after making them. These are perfect for Valentine's Day or any other day in my book. They make a beautiful treat for your love as well as served at a gathering or to anyone you love. That includes yourself! ❤️‍

Ingredients:

16 Fresh Strawberries - Washed & Dried
3 Tbsp Cacao Powder
3 Tbsp Agave (Maple, Brown Rice Syrup or favorite)
3 Tbsp Melted Coconut Oil

Optional Toppings:

1 Tbsp Coconut Flakes
1/2 Tbsp Pecan Pieces
1/2 Tbsp Cashew Pieces

Loving Preparation:

Place the washed and dried strawberries on a plate.
Mix together the melted coconut oil, cacao and agave until smooth in a small cup or short glass. Taste, adjust as preferred. Mix toppings in a small bowl and set aside.
Dip the strawberries in the chocolate, let any extra chocolate drip off naturally. Set on a plate. Repeat until all the berries are dipped. Place in the fridge for 5-10 minutes until the chocolate hardens.
Repeat, dipping the berries in chocolate, one by one until complete. Place in the fridge for 5-10 minutes until the chocolate hardens.
Repeat, dipping each one by one. At this point I decided to decorate the berries sprinkling the toppings on the tips. Feel free to continue repeating until desired thickness is reached. Enjoy any extra chocolate poured in a mold and frozen or as desired.

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Raspberries & Cream Oatmeal with Chocolate Sauce

1/25/2016

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Chocolate is food from the gods; it's energy, vitality, oneness.
Murray Langham, Chocolate Therapy

Raspberries, a touch of cream, a hint of vanilla, pinch of salt, cranberries and oats create a pie-like base that is luxuriously delicious as is. Add an extra bit of cream on top with a healthy chocolate sauce and you are in heaven! We both licked our bowls. There is something magical about combining raspberries with chocolate. We are blessed to live near acres of raspberry farms and can buy big bags for a unbelievably low price so you may find some extra raspberry recipes this season. I am like a kid in a candy shop only this one is super healthy! Enjoy life with a pleasurable breakfast.

Raspberry & Cream Oatmeal with Chocolate Sauce - Serves 2

1/3 Cup Oats
1/2 Cup Coconut Milk (Cream); Divided
3/4 Cup Filtered Water (or non-dairy milk)
1 Cup Raspberries
Pinch Sea Salt
1/3 Cup Cranberries
1/4 tsp Vanilla
Sweetener as desired (we passed)
1 Tbsp Melted Chocolate Bar or Chips (Or below recipe)

Chocolate Sauce

1/2 Tbsp Melted Coconut Oil
1/4 Tbsp Agave (+ more if desired)
1/2 Tbsp Cacao or Cocoa

Peaceful Preparation:

Combine the oats, 1/4 cup coconut milk, filtered water, raspberries, salt, cranberries, vanilla and any sweetener if desired in a rice cooker. Press cook and sit back as it cooks. Alternatively, place everything in a non stick pot, heat over medium-low heat until absorbed.
Mix the chocolate sauce ingredients together until smooth. I made a larger batch and froze the extra in a heart mold and scooped out 1 Tbsp, feel free to do as you please.
Mix the oatmeal ingredients together once done. Divide into two bowls. Pour the balance of the coconut milk on top (1/4 cup) and the chocolate sauce. Serve! Feel free to add extra goodies like coconut flakes, berries, bananas, cacao nibs etc.

Notes:

Use your favorite berry.
Double the recipe for bigger bowls or more servings.
Use your favorite non-dairy milk, the creamier the better.

Idea inspired from one of my favorite sources of chocolate inspiration Chocolate Covered Katie. Recipe modified from Strawberry Creme Oatmeal with Ruby Red Gems found in my new cookbook!

Without chocolate sauce and cream it looks like this. Still delicious!

To healthy yet delicious food with love,
Christa

PS - My husband is having a new event in Mexico City! I will be on site and would love the chance to meet you, share and even have some vegan food together! Wouldn't that be awesome! There will be a full day lecture and 2 full day tours. One is to the National Museum of Anthropology and the other is to Tula and Teotihuacan! This is the largest city in the world with more to do and see than you can imagine. We visited Mexico City and the sites in late 2015, climbed the pyramids and it is a must do. Hope to see you there. Love, Christa