Valentine's Day Recipe - Chocolate Love Bites

Cooking has never really been my "thing" but lately I've been having a blast creating healthy, delicious, EASY, recipes to share with you! While you won't catch me slaving over a hot stove all day, it's so much fun to whip up delicious food, FAST, and share it with you.

I won't slack on using quality, nutrient dense ingredients though, even when it came to making a sweet, chocolate Valentine's Day treat!

Instead of buying chocolates for yourself or your sweetie this year, make these Love Bites instead.
They're rich, delicious, sweet, and satisfying, AND TOTALLY HEALTHY! So treat yourself, love your body, and (if you're pregnant or breastfeeding) love your baby, too, by giving them nutrients they need through you, instead of sugar they don't.

CHOCOLATE LOVE BITES

• 1 cup organic medjool dates, soaked overnight and pitted (Get the best price with Thrive Market's brand HERE)
• 1/2 cup organic cacao powder (Get Thrive Market's brand HERE)
• 1/2 cup chocolate plant protein powder (Get it from my nutrition partner HERE)
• 1 cup organic virgin coconut oil (Get Thrive Market's HERE)
   
• 2 scoops berry flavor greens blend (Get it from my nutrition partner HERE) *optional for a subtle raspberry taste and a superfood boost*

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth and completely combined.

Line a 8x8 brownie pan with parchment paper.

Spread brownie batter evenly into lined pan with a rubber spatula

Place pan in the fridge for an hour to set.

Cut brownies with a heart-shaped cookie cutter.
SERVE!

If you want to give these Love Bites as a gift for Valentine's Day, keep them chilled or they will melt.

*** Store covered in the fridge or freezer ***

The ingredients matter!
If you want to make sure your chocolate treats are truly healthy and taste good, that is.
I have linked the exact brands I used above.
If you can't use these brands, use what's available to you but seek out the highest quality and cleanest sources you can!

Love your body, love yourself, love your baby. 

XOXO,
Maggie

Superfood Antioxidant Berry Chocolate Paleo-ish No-Bake Brownies

These brownies have so many virtues, I couldn't leave them out of the name, but if you have a clever idea, leave it for me in the comments!

I went on a mission to make a GREAT brownie that was actually HEALTHY, that tasted amazing, and would make people feel good!

I have a serious love for brownies but I don't love how the usual junk ingredients and sugar make me feel. I could also never bring myself to share a recipe with you that could harm your health or set you back in your journey to whole health.

I wanted brownies that satisfied me, and didn't tempt me to eat the whole pan in one sitting (I know you know what I'm talking about!).

And... drum roll please... I DID IT! Here's what you need:

• 1 cup organic medjool dates, soaked overnight and pitted (Get the best price with Thrive Market's brand HERE)
• 1/2 cup organic cacao powder (Get Thrive Market's brand HERE)
• 1/2 cup chocolate plant protein powder (Get it from my nutrition partner HERE)
• 1 cup organic virgin coconut oil (Get Thrive Market's HERE)
• 2 scoops berry flavor greens blend (Get it from my nutrition partner HERE)

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth and completely combined.

Line a 8x8 brownie pan with parchment paper.
(Use a slightly smaller pan for thicker brownies)

Spread brownie batter evenly into lined pan with a rubber spatula

Place pan in the freezer for an hour to set.

*** Store covered in the fridge ***

To ensure you get the healthiest, best tasting brownies, the ingredients matter! I have linked the exact brands I used above. If you can't use these brands, use what's available to you but seek out the highest quality and cleanest sources you can.

These brownies are dense, fudgey, and decadent. They will totally satisfy your chocolate cravings, without causing a sugar hangover, and they are PACKED with antioxidants from the cacao, cocoa, and the raw organic grasses and reishi, maitake, and shitake mushrooms in the greens blend (that also add iron and B vitamins).

The greens blend has a subtle berry flavor that comes through in these brownies and reminds me of chocolate lava cake with raspberries! It also made me think of chocolate and cherries, so you'll just have to make it and decide for yourself. Either way, it's delicious.

The dates also add natural sugars, fiber, potassium, copper and a variety of other vitamins and minerals, and the coconut oil adds healthy fat that is rich in medium chain triglycerides, may help prevent atherosclerosis, and has antiviral and antibacterial properties, among other benefits.

After you make these brownies, be sure to come back here and comment to let me know how much you loved them!

This post contains affiliate links which means I make money on purchases made via these links, which helps support this blog. I never recommend anything I don't use and love myself. All opinions are my own.

Holiday Pumpkin Spice Scones, Gluten Free

When fall arrives and it gets colder outside, it triggers something in me that wants the coziness of scarves, boots, mittens, a fireplace, and the warm scent of cinnamon and cloves. And I get extremely excited for all things pumpkin.

Roasted pumpkin seeds at Halloween, pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving, and now... pumpkin scones at Christmas!

These little treats have the perfect blend of pumpkin spices, no refined sugar, and are completely gluten free.

I LOVE Christmas cookies but I don't love how all that sugar zaps my energy, or how it makes my body feel inflamed, gain weight, and make my skin break out.

These scones totally satisfy my sweet tooth and when you makes them, you can feel good because they're actually good for you! They even have a little protein and fiber so you'll feel satisfied and won't want to scarf down the whole batch in one sitting.

Bake, and enjoy!!

350º F --- 20 minutes --- Makes 9 mini scones

1 cup gluten free all purpose flour
*** My flour blend: 200 g Arrowhead Mills organic millet flour, 150 g Authentic Foods sweet rice flour, 150g Anthony's organic potato starch ***

1 scoop your favorite sugar free, vanilla, plant protein powder
*** see and purchase what I use by clicking here ***

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp sea salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp each ginger, cardamom

pinch of ground cloves

2/3 cup canned organic pumpkin

1 TBSP melted coconut oil

1 egg

2 TBSP maple syrup

*****************************

Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl with a fork until even distributed.

Mix wet ingredients together in a separate bowl until evenly combined.

Add wet ingredients to dry and mix gently with a rubber spatula until fully incorporated.
Drop golf ball or large tablespoon sized spoonfuls of scone "dough" onto a baking sheet.
Shape with wet fingers into triangle or desired shapes.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes until scones are slightly springy to the touch and brown on the bottom.
Allow to cool completely before eating.

This blog post contains affiliate links