Chocolate

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.

Chocolate Overload

Posted by Rachel Ashley on Feb 24, 2011 in Chocolate, Dessert, Sweets | 3 comments

My husband was also sweet enough to make me chocolate cover strawberries and chocolate covered pretzels (he is so cute!) for Valentine’s Day!

Check out his scrumptious bite-size works of art! He bought me a box of See’s Candies too!

Can we say Chocolate Overload, but totally worth it!

Chocolate Covered Strawberries w/ White Chocolate

Posted by Rachel Ashley on Jun 20, 2010 in Chocolate, Dessert, Fashionably Organic, Sweets | 0 comments

This is a easy and wonderful dessert. My husband made these for me for Valentines Day and they were perfect! (Good job babe!)  If you love fruit and chocolate (and who doesn’t?) then you will love my chocolate covered strawberries with a white chocolate drizzle.  You only need four ingredients!  Plump juicy organic strawberries, organic milk chocolate or dark chocolate, and organic white chocolate, and oil.  Start by thoroughly washing one pound of strawberries and pat dry.  In a glass microwave safe bowl (or you can use a double boiler on your stove top) heat 16 oz. of  milk or dark chocolate and 1 T of canola oil (or oil of your choice) for 1 minute. Dip each strawberry individually and place on a foiled lined baking sheet. Once the chocolate has set on the strawberries, take another glass microwave safe bowl (or you can use a double boiler on your stove top) and heat 8 oz. of white chocolate 1 T of canola oil (or oil of your choice) for 1 minute. Poor the white chocolate into a pastry bag or you can use plastic bag, squeeze chocolate into the corner and snip a very small piece off the corner. Drizzle the white chocolate in a back and forth motion over each chocolate strawberry.  Place the baking sheet of strawberries in the ice box to cool and set.

Food Tip: The oil added to the chocolate keeps the chocolate smooth and silky and gives it a pretty sheen.

Recipe:
1 pound of strawberries
16 oz of milk or dark chocolate
8 oz of white chocolate
2 T of canola oil

Peanut Butter and Chocolate No-Bake Cookies

Posted by Rachel Ashley on May 27, 2010 in All Cookies, Chocolate, Dessert, Fashionably Organic, Sweets | 0 comments

A night of sewing is in store for my mom and I.  We are making curtains, and I have had a sweet tooth sense dinner.  I need chocolate!!!  My mom doesn’t have any chocolate, so I am going to make my own chocolate dessert.  I need something simple and quick; no-bakes sound perfect. Godiva Carmel coffee is brewing, and us girls are hard at work.

These simple delicious no bakes nearly taste like you melted Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and poured it over oats!  I know its not the healthiest dessert, but organic ingredients + home-made = simply perfect!

You will need a pot, cookie sheet, wax paper, mixing bowl, and a wooden spoon….
Recipe:
5 cups organic oats
1/2 cups organic light brown sugar
1 cup of sugar in the raw (or your preference)
4 T organic cocoa powder
3/4 cup of half and half (or milk, almond milk, etc.)
1/2 stick of unsalted organic butter, cubed
1 cup or organic peanut butter
1/2 cup organic applesauce
2 T pure vanialla extract
1 T of brewed coffee (optional)

Hint: Coffee brings out the flavors in chocolate, its my special ingredient!

Bring the butter, applesauce, sugar, peanut butter and cocoa to a boil.  Pull the pot off the heat and pour in the half and half and vanilla. Place 5 cups of oats in a separate bowl.  Pour the hot mixture onto the oats and mix thoroughly.  On a cookie sheet place a piece of wax paper and use a spoon to drop spoonfuls of the no-bake mix onto the cookie sheet.  The recipe can yield about 30 depending on how big your spoonfuls are.  Place the cookies in the ice box for 15 minutes.  Serve with coffee or milk and enjoy!

Dinner Party- Chocolate Cupcakes w/ Orange Frosting

Posted by Rachel Ashley on Oct 22, 2009 in Chocolate, Dessert, Fashionably Organic, Sweets | 0 comments

Just last weekend my husband and I had a dinner party to attend, several young married couples gathered for fellowship and good food.  My sister-in-law and brother provided the dinner, and I opted to make dessert.  It always takes much thought and preparation for me to figure out what I am going to bring to a dinner party,  I am always worried about fulfilling everyone’s palettes. After much thought, I decided to make something with pumpkin.  It is fall and there is something about the aroma of pumpkin and cinnamon permeating my home, that reminds me of the Holidays.  Initially I thought I would make a chocolate pumpkin cake, but  I decided to make cupcakes instead.  Cupcakes allow for better portion control and are easy to handle at a party.  I also went as far to make orange frosting, and oh was it good (not exactly healthy, but at least not store bought)!!!

Cupcakes
2 1/2 Cups of whole wheat flour
1 cup of cocoa
1 1/2 tablespoons of baking soda
1 tablespoon of baking powder
3 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon of freshly grate nutmeg
3/4 cup of skim milk (almond or soy, would work as well)
1 1/2 cups of pumpkin puree
2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
1 cup of oil (vegetable or canola)
1 1/4 cups of unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 cups of firmly packed dark brown sugar
5 large eggs

Frosting
1 8-ounce package of softened non-fat cream cheese
1/4 cup of softened butter
Juice of 1 orange
1 tablespoon of grated orange zest
1/2 teaspoon  of pure vanilla extract
6 cups of confectioners sugar
1/4 teaspoon of orange food coloring