Dessert

Dipped

Posted by Rachel Ashley on Jan 16, 2013 in Dessert, Fashionably Organic | 11 comments

Happy Hump Day!  What better way to get through the rest of your day and/or week than pretzels dipped in chocolate!  Chocolate paired with anything is good enough to get me through the rest of my week.  I have a love for chocolate that goes way back!  Chocolate has a lushness and rich flavor that is so very addicting (at least it is for me)!  These sweet little sparkly blue treats are perfect for winter and for some reason reminds me of snowflakes (I think it’s the blue sprinkles!).  This recipe is super easy and only takes four ingredients!

Ingredients:
1 bag of Pretzels Sticks
8 oz of White chocolate and/or Milk Chocolate
1 or 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil (or a tablespoon of butter)
Blue Sprinkles (or any color you prefer)

Recipe:
Begin by putting a pot with about 2 inches of water on medium-high heat with a glass bowl on top.  Wait until the water has boiled and then turn the heat down.  Pour in an 8 oz of organic chocolate chips in the glass bowl with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil (or a tablespoon of butter).  The oil (or butter) gives the chocolate a glossy finish, and also helps keep the chocolate smooth.  Begin stirring the chocolate right away; it should melt in less than two minutes.  With a mitten remove the glass bowl of melted chocolate and move to your working area.  Lay out a piece of was wax paper or a piece of foil sprayed with non-stick spray on a baking sheet.  Begin dipping each pretzel in chocolate, the chocolate should cover about half of the pretzel stick.  Lay the pretzel(s) down on the wax paper and sprinkle with your favorite colored sprinkles!  Be as creative as you would like!  Once you have used all the chocolate you can repeat the process like I did and start it all over again with white chocolate.  Place the pretzels in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to help the chocolate set.

Enjoy!
XO,
Rachel Ashley

Skinny-Minnie No Bake Cookies

Posted by Rachel Ashley on Mar 27, 2012 in Dessert, Fashionably Organic | 0 comments

These little bite size treats are so easy and so good!  A healthy twist on a traditional no bake cookie, but yet they look so much cuter rolled in bite size balls and dusted with powdered sugar!  I had bright cupcake liners, which I think made a darling presentation!  These are a perfect dessert to take to a friends, great for a care package, or a fun way to get your kids involved in the kitchen!

Enjoy!
XO,
Rachel

Ingredients
1/2 cup Stevia
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tbsp organic unsalted butter
1/2 cup fat free milk (or non-dairy product of your choice)
2 tbsp organic peanut butter
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
organic powdered sugar or cocoa powder for dusting (optional)

Recipe
Begin, by combing the first four ingredients: Stevia, cocoa powder, unsalted butter and milk in a small saucepan and boil for 2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from heat and mix in oatmeal, organic peanut butter. Add the vanilla last, because vanilla will evaporate if added to high heat.

Drop by tablespoons onto a wax paper or roll into balls with slightly moist hands and refrigerate overnight. The next day you can roll them in powdered sugar or cocoa powder if desired. Keep refrigerated if storing for several day.

White Chocolate Birthday Sprinkle Popcorn

Posted by Rachel Ashley on Feb 28, 2012 in Dessert, Fashionably Organic | 0 comments

Another fun recipe to share with you today!  This is a perfect snack and its hard to stop eating.  Most of us enjoy that sweet and salty aspect to foods, which you totally get in salted chocolate covered popcorn.  I made this a few weekends back for a party and it was a hit!  Its not too over indulgent, but still a tasty dessert.  It would be fun next time to try it with milk chocolate too!  I hope you enjoy this recipe, have a fabulous day!

XO,

Rachel Ashley

Ingredients:
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
Salt (optional)
6 ounces white chocolate, chopped or morsels
1 tsp of butter
1/4 cup birthday sprinkles
1/4 cup silver sprinkles (optional)

Recipe:
In a medium saucepan, pour in olive oil and heat over medium-heat. When oil is hot, add popcorn kernels, making sure all the kernels are touching the bottom of the pan. Cover with a lid and wait until you hear kernels start to pop. Once they commence, grab the pan; while simultaneously holding down the lid, give it a good shake. Return pan to the stove and repeat a few times. This will ensure that all of the kernels pop. When popcorn is done, turn off heat, transfer to a bowl, and add a few pinches of salt.  Add about 1-inch of water to a double boiler (or a saucepan with a glass bowl nestled on top and be sure your bowl is completely dry). Heat  white chocolate and a teaspoon of butter over medium-low, watching the chocolate the entire time. White chocolate has a lower melting point, so it can seize easily. When chocolate is melted, stir until smooth, the butter will make it glossy and smooth.  In a few batches, pour chocolate over popcorn, mixing gently to coat each kernel lightly.  Evenly spread popcorn onto a baking sheet and add confetti sprinkles. Let popcorn sit for 3-4 hours (or until dry) -  I put mine in the fridge to cool faster and then broke it up once ready to serve.

When I took the popcorn out of the refrigerator to break it apart a piece came out looking like a heart

Ricotta Chocolate Chip Muffins

Posted by Rachel Ashley on Feb 21, 2012 in Bread, Breakfast, Chocolate, Dessert, Fashionably Organic, Sweets | 2 comments

Good Morning!  I had so much fun baking in my kitchen a couple weekends ago for a family bridal shower.  I was in charge of the sweets, which I always find fun!  As most of you know I always try to put a healthy spin and/or organic ingredients in every recipe I make.  Although, sometimes they turn out more  like a science experiment, but that also make baking healthier more fun!  Most of the time I can successfully replace unhealthy ingredients with healthy ones.  This recipe was adapted from Skinnytaste.com.  I came across one of Gina’s pictures on Pinterest and I am so excited to have found her blog!  I had leftover ricotta cheese and I wanted to find a recipe that I could incorporate it into before it went to waste.  These little muffins are super moist and with the added sweetness from the chocolate chips makes them perfect with your morning coffee!  Chocolate is my weakness so if I can make something healthy and get my sweet tooth fix, I’m happy!

Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup Organic Butter – unsalted
3/4 cup of Stevia
3 large organic egg whites
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chip morsels

Recipe:
Begin by preheating the over to 375 F. In a medium size bowl mix together the whole wheat pastry flour and baking soda. In a separate bowl (I used my Kitchen Aid mixer) cream the butter and sugar together. Then slowly add the egg whites to the butter/sugar mixture while the beater is on medium speed. Add the ricotta cheese and then slowly add the flour/baking soda mixture. Add the vanilla and then fold the chocolate chips into the batter. You will need a muffin tin and cupcake wrappers or spray the muffin tin so the batter doesn’t stick to the pan. I like to use an ice cream scoop to spoon each muffin spot with about 3/4 of the batter.

Bake the muffins at 375 F for 15 minutes.  Remove muffins from the muffin tin and place on a rack to cool.

This recipe yields a dozen muffins.

Valentine Pretzel Kisses

Posted by Rachel Ashley on Feb 13, 2012 in Dessert, Fashionably Organic | 0 comments

Fluffy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Posted by Rachel Ashley on Dec 20, 2011 in Dessert, Fashionably Organic | 1 comment

On Sunday after church I decided to get some baking time in.  I had one of my friends in the kitchen with me and we made yummy chocolate chip cookies.  I don’t make cookies that often, so it was fun to be in the kitchen making something out of the ordinary.  I have a lot of baking and cooking to do this coming week and Christmas weekend.  I am excited to spend time in the kitchen with my mom and cook for the people I love.  Wouldn’t you agree, that cooking is a fun way to show people you care and that you love them?  I know for me, I cook for others as an expression of love!  I look forward to sharing more recipes, particularly Christmas recipes from my kitchen this week.  Enjoy your Tuesday and be sure to try out these cookies!

XO,

Rachel Ashley

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups of whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup of brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup softened organic butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 package of trader Joe’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate chips
Optional:  Add 1 cups of chopped nuts or dried cranberries

Recipe:
Preheat Oven to 375 F.  Combine flour, slat, and baking soda in a bowl and set aside.  Combine brown sugar and granulated sugar, softened butter and vanilla and beat until creamy.  Add eggs and beat.  Add dry ingredients in slowly and mix well.  Stir in chocolate chips and optional ingredients.  Drop mixture by rounded teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets.  Bake 8 to 10 minutes.  Recipe yields approximately 2 dozen cookies.