Smoothie bowls tend to be on bit thicker than regular smoothies, or at least that is how I make them, otherwise all my toppings sink to the bottom.

Smoothie bowls are a great way to start the day or even to have as a snack. The variations are endless and on this one I used things I had on hand. We are loving hemp hearts right now. Then I added some chia seeds, cacao nibs and fresh fruit that I always have on hand.

Truly the sky is the limit when it comes to making smoothie bowls. Since Valentine’s Day is just around the corner I figure I can make something that is healthy, easy and quick.

As some of you know, I don’t have much time on my hands lately. In 4 months my life will be way better and have a switch for the best since I will be graduating from Physician Assistant school and be able to continue with my normal life. Being a mom, work and carry on with my life more or less.

Anyways, I have another healthy, quick, dessert that I made over the weekend that I want to post very soon. I always make double the batch whenever I am baking or cooking so that we can have it for several days. Not necessarily concurrent days but at least another time throughout the week so that it doesn’t seem to repetitive that whe are eating the same thing over and over.

Anyways, start making your own smoothie bowls. I know once you start you won’t be able to stop. So healthy, good and easy.

Enjoy!

High protein chocolate smoothie bowl

Miryam's original recipe

Yield: 4 servings

Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 frozen bananas
• 2 cups non-dairy milk
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder

Toppings

• 1/4 cup hemp hearts
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1/4 cacao nibs
• 2 cups organic mixed berries

Directions:

Blend the bananas, cocoa powder and milk in your blender until smooth.

Divide mixture between for bowls and top with the toppings. You may use any of your choice.

Note: You can add some nuts or nut butter to the milk and bananas to increase protein content even further.

The post High protein chocolate smoothie bowl appeared first on Eat Good 4 Life.

At last I get to post a recipe. I actually needed to take a few weeks brake from the blog because I wanted to catch up with things in school as well as focus as to what would be next for the blog as far as recipes are concerned. I also want to expand my travel section and even though I haven’t been traveling lately I have a lot of material from previous travels that I want to share with you all. I am organizing all my travels, recipe schedule and all so stay tuned, lots of good things to come.

Onto the recipe now.

I love coconut anything. I have been wanting to make these dark chocolate coconut truffles for a long time now but never got around to it because I had other recipes I wanted to tackle, however, last week, since I also wanted to have something with coconut flavor, I went ahead and made these.

These truffles are truly out of this world. They only require 4 ingredients and you don’t need anything really especial except for your food processor to make these.

I am going to be making more coconut desserts in the upcoming weeks. I have been wanting to make coconut macaroons as well so I might get to that recipe soon. These dark chocolate mint coconut truffles for now are one of my favorite coconut desserts…so easy to make and so good.

You can use any type of chocolate you like, however, I always use dark chocolate for all of my desserts that need chocolate. Less sugar, much more chocolate intense flavor plus it contains many more of the cocoa benefits. Dark chocolate all the way.

Going forward, I am going to be posting like I was before. I just needed to take a few weeks off to regroup sort of speak.

Anyways, I leave you with these dark chocolate mint coconut truffles that are truly the bomb. If you get to make these let me know how you liked them. Also one suggestion, if you do, I suggest doubling the batch because they are not going to last that long.

Enjoy!

Dark chocolate mint coconut truffles

Miryam's original recipe

Yield: 15 truffles

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 tsp mint extract, optional
• 6 oz dark chocolate, melted, vegan if need be

Directions:

Line a cookie baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.

Place the coconut, maple syrup, mint, and coconut oil in a food processor until it comes together. Transfer to a small mixing bowl. Using your hands, squeeze the mixture into about small balls. This step may be a bit difficult. I used my finger and gently roll them out. (If you really find they don't come together at all just a tad more maple syrup)

Place the coconut balls in the freezer for about 15 minutes or until firm.

Melt the chocolate in your microwave or double boiler. Using two forks, roll each coconut ball in the chocolate until completely covered. Let the extra chocolate drip off the fork. Place the chocolate truffle onto the prepared tray and place back in the freezer until the chocolate has hardened.

You can top the truffles with some extra coconut flakes before they harden. This step is optional.

Store in the refrigerator.

The post Dark chocolate mint coconut truffles appeared first on Eat Good 4 Life.

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and I decided to make these Whole-Wheat Chocolate Orange Scones to celebrate. We hardly ever have a typical American breakfast, but Valentine’s Day is a different story. My kids join in to prepare a brunch dish and serve it to the entire family. It is a fun morning for us. A tradition that we have kept alive for a few years now. These Whole-Wheat Chocolate Orange Scones are a perfect addition to your family’s Valentine’s Day brunch—along with some extra butter, bacon, eggs and a tall glass of orange juice.

I was a bit skeptical about making these scones with whole wheat flour, which is tougher and drier. I used whole wheat pastry flour instead, and the scones turned out perfectly. I also used both orange zest and orange juice and dark chocolate instead of regular milk chocolate, to create a great flavor combination. When I eat chocolate, I don’t like it to be too sweet, but you can use any type that you like in this recipe.

All orange juices are not created equal. And that is why I used not-from-concentrate Florida’s Natural® Brand Orange Juice in this recipe. It is made from one simple ingredient — Florida oranges. Florida’s Natural doesn’t add any water, sugar or preservatives to its products. I like the fact that there are no artificial flavors or ingredients and that all of their products are made entirely in Florida, using citrus grown by generations of small-family farmers.

Plus, my partnership with Florida’s Natural means that I’m now a member of the Florida’s Natural Brunch Club. In the next few months, I’ll be partnering with other bloggers to share our love of all things breakfast and brunch—starting with these scones!

While it is Valentine’s Day, you could make these Whole Wheat Orange Chocolate Scones for any special occasion. I know that my family will be having a few next week. I hope you get to make them as well! Next time I make these I will double the batch. I think I should be able to freeze these and have for my breakfast a few extra days.

Let me know if you get to make these Whole Wheat Orange Chocolate Scones. I hope you like them as much as we did.

Enjoy!

This recipe is sponsored by Florida’s Natural. The opinions and text are all mine. The end.

Whole wheat chocolate orange scones

Miryam's original recipe

Yield: 11-12 scones

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/3 cup unrefined sugar
• 1 tbsp aluminum free baking powder
• 1 tbsp orange zest
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cubed
• 6 oz dark chocolate bar, chopped into small chunks
• 1/2 cup Florida's Natural orange juice
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 F. Lined a cookie baking sheet with parchment paper.

Add flour, sugar, butter, baking powder and orange zest in a small mixing bowl.Using your fingers, work in the butter until the mixture resembles a coarse meal or breadcrumbs.

Add orange juice, heavy cram and chopped dark chocolate. With a spatula incorporate into the dry ingredients until you obtain a consistent dough. In between plastic wrap, or parchment paper, roll out dough into a 1-inch thick shape. Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters.

Brush each scone with heavy cream and sprinkle with sugar if desired. (If you don't have a brush you can use your fingers, I have done that before)

Place scones onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 16-22 minutes or until golden brown.

The post Whole wheat orange chocolate scones appeared first on Eat Good 4 Life.

I have not been baking lately because I haven’t had much time but a few days ago I made it my mission to find at least 20 minutes to be able to make something that wouldn’t be to sweet. I also wanted to keep my dessert gluten free so I came up with these brownies.

I was really pleased with the results. Originally I planned on using cocoa powder, which I have used before, but because didn’t have any on hand I had to get creative and use an alternative. I ended up using a mixture of almond and quinoa flour. I didn’t know if the brownies would turn out but to my surprise they were just plain sensational.

I have made these brownies with cocoa powder before as well and I think the only difference was that the cocoa powder brownies turned out a bit more fudgy than the ones I made today. Both ways were great so you will not be disappointed.

To sweeten the brownies I used Truvia Nectar, a sweetener blended with stevia leaf extract and honey. It was the perfect fit. I don’t like desserts that taste too sweet so using Truvia was much better than using plain sugar. The calories will also be kept on the lower end since Truvia Nectar has 50% fewer calories per serving than sugar.

I think I anticipate making these gluten free brownies again next week. I will be using a bigger pan, which I have, so I can double the batch. Most likely I will be freezing half the batch as well so I can consume them later one. Sometimes I get chocolate cravings so having some saved in the freezer would be awesome for me.

If you are like me and love chocolate you are going to love these gluten free brownies. They are better for you and no so complicated to make.

Enjoy!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Truvia. The opinions and text are all mine. The end!

Gluten free brownies

Miryam's original recipe

Yield: 9 servings

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 8 oz dark chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 cup almond flour, can use 3/4 cup cocoa powder instead
• 2 tbs quinoa flour, if using cocoa powder omit
• 1/4 cup Truvia nectar, or 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp aluminum free baking powder
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 8x8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper.

In a stand mixer add eggs, Truvia Nectar, vanilla, and mix through.

On a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil. You can also use your microwave for this step and melt the chocolate in 30 seconds intervals stirring in between.

Add the melted chocolate to the previous egg mixture and combine. Add the flours (or cocoa powder), baking powder, and with a spatula fold in the flours until its all incorporated. The mixture will be thick. Place batter in the prepared pan and sprinkle the sliced almonds.

Bake for 30-35 minutes. Let the brownies cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Slice and serve!

NOTE: If you don't have almond flour or quinoa flour you can use cocoa powder. Just 3/4 cup of cocoa powder in place of 1 cup almond flour and 2 tbs quinoa flour will do.

The post Gluten free brownies appeared first on Eat Good 4 Life.

In case you haven’t notice by now, I have a very sweet tooth. Because of that, I must have some sort of sweet treat each day. Luckily for me, because I like baking, I am able to make my own goodies.  These are always healthier than if I were to buy them store bought.

Many of them turn out to be no bake, and since I am lately press for time these superfood chocolate truffles were just perfect.

I was able to add some flaxseed meal to them. I love using flaxseed meal on no bake desserts as well as in smoothies. It is rich in Omega 3’s, which is a natural anti-inflammatory as well as being very rich in soluble fiber.

If you suffer from high cholesterol know that soluble fiber will lower your cholesterol naturally. Cholesterol recycles in the body but by consuming soluble fiber, this attaches to cholesterol and gets excreted from the body later on. So there….a natural alternative to lowering cholesterol.

If you like to use any other nuts besides raw almonds you could do so. Any type will work.

To purchase flaxseed meal, hulled hemp seeds or any healthier ingredients you may need for your baking and cooking visit Bob’s Red Mill. They have everything you will need for your healthy cooking and baking.

I wish I doubled the batch when making these superfood chocolate truffles. They will last for a while in your fridge so whenever you have a sweet craving these are perfect. I have also packed them up on my kids lunch boxes. The love treats like these so whenever I get to make some half the batch is for them.

Next month I start school so I know I will be making plenty of superfood bites. They are just the perfect pick me up.

Enjoy!

This recipe is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill.  The opinions and text are all mine. The end.

Superfood chocolate truffles

Miryam's original recipe

Yield: 28-32 truffles

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups pitted dates
• 1 cup raw almonds
• 1/3 cup flaxseed meal
• 1 tbsp acai powder
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2-3 tbsp water
• 1 cup dark chocolate, vegan if need be
• 1 tbs coconut oil

 

Directions:

Place all the ingredients, except chocolate and coconut oil, in your food processor and pulse until it comes together. Shape dough into desired individual shapes. I choose to do a few balls and a few squares using a square silicone mold.

Melt chocolate and coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl at 30 seconds intervals until completely melted. Dip each truffle into the melted chocolate and place on a baking sheet previous lined with parchment paper. You can sprinkle any toppings on each truffle if you like. I used some cacao nibs and hulled hemp seeds.

Place truffles in the freezer for 10 minutes until the chocolate sets. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks.

The post Superfood chocolate truffles appeared first on Eat Good 4 Life.

I love the flavor of Baileys and since I had some on hand I figured I use it for both the cake batter and then frosting. This type of drink goes perfectly with chocolate so I thought, why not?

If you don’t like Baileys or would like a virgin version I will give other alternatives in the recipe so don’t worry about it and make an alcohol free version.

It has been a long time since I have made a chocolate cake of any kind so my kids were pretty exited. Yes I let my kids had a piece of the cake, I don’t think that is going to kill them, so there…

When you make the frosting just be patient, it will become nice a thick for you to spread over the cake. It will just take sometime especially if it sits at room temperature. If you like you can place it in the fridge for 10 minutes to speed up the process, that is what I did. Just make sure that the  cake is completely cooled when you place spread it. I didn’t wait for my cake to cool all the way and it made it harder to spread so don’t do what I did. I was not patient as I wanted to dig in already…

Where there isn’t much to say about this baileys chocolate cake. If you like chocolate cake you are going to love this version.

P.S: This is not your average sweet treat. Indulging once in a while is part of life. Don’t start freaking out about the nutrition facts. If you like something healthier skip this cake. For me, having something like this once in a blue moon is OK. Keeping it real over here!

Enjoy!

Baileys chocolate cake

Miryam's original recipe

Yield: 8 servings

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1/2 cup Baileys
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 tsp aluminum free baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp aluminum free baking powder
• 1 tsp Mexican vanilla extract

Ganache

• 1 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 cup Baileys
• 1 tbs coconut oil
• 2 tsp Mexican vanilla extract

 

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Line the bottom of an 8 inch round cake pan with unbleached parchment paper and grease the sides with coconut oil. Set aside.

In a microwave safe bowl add the chocolate chips, Baileys, sugar, coconut oil and cocoa powder. Melt at 30 second intervals until the chocolate in completely melted. Stir and make sure you obtain a homogenous mixture.

Let the chocolate mixture cool. With a wire whisk, add eggs one at a time, and combine.

Add the flour, vanilla, baking powder and baking soda. Fold with a spatula and transfer batter to the prepared baking pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes. I baked mine for 35 minutes. Let the cake cool completely before adding the ganache to it.

On the meantime, prepare the ganache. Add the ganache ingredients to a microwave safe bowl and melt at 30 second intervals until the chocolate is almost melted. Stir the mixture and let it sit at room temperature until you obtain a spreadable consistency. Alternatively you can speed up this process by placing the mixture in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes.

Spread the ganache over the cake and serve.

NOTE: If you would like a virgin version of this cake use heavy cream for the frosting and any milk of choice for the cake batter in place of the Baileys.

The post Baileys chocolate cake appeared first on Eat Good 4 Life.