Paleo Beet Cakes- NUT FREE, Gluten Free, Sugar Free, Dairy Free

 BEET ''RED VELVET'' MUDCAKES- Nut Free Version. Also Paleo, Gluten-Free, Refined Sugar-Free, Dairy-Free! 

  Here is a NUT FREE version of the original beet cakes previously posted! They turn out almost the same as the original, but are made entirely with coconut instead of nuts! 

  These delightful red heart shaped cakes are super fun to make and completely guilt-free to eat! So, while your friends (or kid's friends!) are enjoying sugar-loaded red velvet cake, you'll be enjoying these healthy little cakes while getting your veggies in as well. These cakes do have a slightly earthy taste from the beets, but it blends delightfully with the carob and chocolate flavor making these unique and enjoyable. Even my adult brother who doesn't usually eat as healthily as I do (he still loves his sugar-loaded sherbert and icecream) asks for these treats! 
Choose beets that are on the smaller side: fresh looking, bright toned and without spots or wrinkles.

3 dates (I used deglet noor but medjoul dates are bigger and sweeter which would work best for this recipe)
2 TB raisins or other dried berries
1 1/2 beets, peeled and grated
2 cups plus 2 TB unsweetened shredded or desiccated dried coconut 
2 TB raw cacao powder
2 TB carob powder
1 TB ground flaxseed
1 TB coconut oil, melted
Optional: 1 tsp. xylitol or coconut sugar or 1/2 tsp stevia to taste

Icing: 
1 avacado, halved, pitted and peeled
1/4 cup raw cacao powder
3 1/2 tsp powdered xylitol 
1 1/4 tsp powdered stevia (if you hate stevia, don't worry! The chocolate masks the taste)
1 TB coconut oil
1.4 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp sea salt

To make the cakes, process the dates in a food processor or blender until they are in smaller pieces. Add dried berries or raisins and oil and process until smooth. Add the beets, coconut, cacao and carob powders, vanilla and flaxseed meal and blend until combined and even in texture. Taste mixture to see if you would like to add sweetener of your choice: stevia, xylitol or coconut sugar. I only needed a little of sweetener in this recipe, but each person is different! 
You can continue blending until desired consistency is reached. I like mine a little crunchy but if you have patience, you can reach a lovely smooth texture for these cakes! 

   Line a small baking sheet or flat container with parchment paper. Place heart cookie cutters on the parchment paper and using your fingers or a spoon, firmly press beet filling into molds. Carefully remove molds and tada! you have perfect red heart shapes! 

Place in freezer on parchment paper to firm up for about 30 minutes. Or, leave in fridge over night. 

For icing, blend (or mash) avacadoes, in a small bowl and add all other ingredients. Mash or mix until blended and smooth. Spread over chilled beet cakes and chill for 30 minutes. Or, you can enjoy immediately!

 Garnish however you like, with berries, chocolate shavings, melted chocolate, cacao dusting or anything! 

Golden Girl Granola Blogger Challenge 2016: Mazzou's blueberry cheesecake bars

It is with pleasure that I again enter the annual Golden Girl Granola blogger challenge! This company makes such delicious granola; it was a delight to make up a recipe using their ''Bluesberry'' flavor this year.

If you can muster up enough self-control not to eat all of this wonderful granola straight from the bag, try whipping up this simple dessert. The texture and flavour of cheese cake with a crunchy granola crust is absolutely delicious: 

Mazzou's Blueberry Granola Cheesecake Bars

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 1/2 cups Golden Girl Granola Bluesberry flavor; one cup ground with rolling pin

1/4 cup almond flour (or ground almonds)

2 Tablespoons coconut flour (or ground coconut)

2 Tablespoons coconut (any size but preferably fine) 

1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon butter

3 Tablespoons honey

Filling: 

1 8-oz package of cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 Tablespoon cornstarch

1 tsp. gelatin 

1 tsp. vanilla

1 medium egg

1/4 cup heavy cream

Fresh blueberries

Extra Golden Girl Granola Bluesberry flavor

Instructions: 

Butter a 8.5" X 4.5" X 2.75" loaf pan and line with parchment paper. Make sure parchment comes up the edges so you have ''handles'' to remove contents later. 

Combine all 1 1/2 cups granola, almond flour, coconut flour, and coconut. Blend in butter and honey. Mixture should be moist enough to squeeze into a ball. If too dry, add butter as needed. 

Press into prepared loaf pan and set aside. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

To make filling, beat cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch and gelatin together. Add vanilla and egg and mix well. Add cream and mix just until combined. Do not overmix. 

Pour filling onto granola crust. 

Bake for 30 minutes until light gold and set. Let cool 30 minutes at room temperature. Chill in refrigerator at least 1 hour before serving.

To serve, cut into squares and top with Golden Girl Granola Bluesberry flavor and fresh blueberries. 

This makes a perfect light dessert any time of the year but especially during summer. 

Mazzou's Maple Granola-Crusted Chicken Breasts or Salmon filet

Maple granola-crusted chicken breast served salad-style

Maple granola-crusted chicken or salmon

  I first fell in love with cooking when I was just seven or eight years old and it didn't take me long to begin experimenting and creating my own recipes.  Now,  several years later I am known for my love of  dreaming up new ways to present the most classic foods. I find that chicken and salmon are two of the best foods to experiment with new and unique flavors and seasonings!

Maple granola-crusted salmon filet

 One of my more classic creations which is sure to please a variety of taste buds and which can be enjoyed year-round, is my newly-invented and perfected maple granola-crusted chicken breast or salmon filet....I promise you, from the first bite you will be delighted by the combination of flavors! 

Ingredients: 
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (6.4 oz each) or 4 four-six ounce wild alaska salmon filets
1/4 plus 1/8 tsp. salt (or to taste; the goal is to sprinkle evenly over each piece of meat) 
1/4 tsp. pepper or to taste 
1 large clove garlic, crushed
2 Tablespoons melted butter (or olive oil)
1 Tablespoon tamari soy sauce
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
1 cup Golden Girl Forest Maple granola
3 eggs
1 Tablespoon butter or oil for browning meat. 

   Prepare meat 1-8 hours ahead: 
1. Gently pound out chicken breasts to about 3/4 inch thick, focusing mostly on the thick portion of the chicken breasts (skip this step if using salmon).
2. Sprinkle each breast or filet evenly with salt and pepper. Place meat in a 4 cup capacity glass dish or container. 
3. Mix together the garlic, butter, soy sauce and maple syrup. Pour over chicken breasts or salmon and cover dish tightly. 
4. Let chicken marinate at least a couple of hours; preferably overnight. Only let salmon marinate 1-3 hours.
   To cook meat: 
1. Prepare granola by separating 6 Tablespoons from the cup of granola; place in a plastic baggie and crush with a rolling pin. 
2. Pour the entire cup of granola (crushed and whole) in a shallow dish. 


3. In another bowl, whisk the eggs. 
4. Remove chicken breasts or filets from marinade, reserving marinade. Dip each chicken breast or filet first in the egg mixture, then in the granola mixture, pressing the granola into the meat (with the salmon, press into the pink fleshy side, not worrying too much about the skin side).

5. Heat olive oil or butter in a shallow frying pan on medium heat; gently brown each chicken breast in the oil. Add more oil to pan as needed to keep meat from sticking. Fry for about 2 minutes per side. Follow same directions for salmon, only fry skin-side down for 3 minutes without flipping.

(chicken breasts)

(salmon filet)

(chicken breasts browning)

6. Place golden-browned meat in a 9x13 baking dish, drizzle reserved marinade over and bake at 350° Fahrenheit  for about 20 minutes or until chicken temperature is 165° Fahrenheit. For salmon: bake at 350° Fahrenheit for 7 minutes or until meat flakes easily when cut with a fork.

pictured: 1 filet of salmon hot out of the oven!

 To serve: 
The maple granola-crusted chicken breasts or salmon filet can be served warm from the oven, drizzled with a honey mustard dressing and accompanied by a salad and roasted potatoes. Or, let chicken cool a little more and slice. Serve chicken slices on a bed of fresh green salad and drizzle with a honey mustard dressing.

(ready to eat: maple granola-crusted salmon!)

(hot and ready: one maple granola-crusted chicken breast with honey mustard sauce)