Lemon Cheesecake Bites

I'm so excited about these cheesecake bites... they're exactly what I needed to get through holiday party season!!

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup powdered Swerve or other sugar substitute
• 2 tablespoons coconut cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla stevia
• pinch salt
• 3 teaspoons lemon extract
• few drops of natural yellow food coloring
• 1/4 cup coconut oil melted
• 1 Lily's dark chocolate bar (3oz)

Directions:

1. In a stand mixer blend the cream cheese and Swerve together until smooth.
2. Add the coconut cream, stevia, salt and raspberry extract, natural food coloring until combined well.
3. Slowly add in the coconut oil and continue to blend on high until it's incorporated.
4. Scrape down the edges of the bowl to make sure it's all mixed well.
5. Refrigerate this mixture for 1 hour.
6. Using a 1 1/4 inch mini cookie scoop (or something similar) scoop the batter onto a parchment lined baking sheet, it should make about 48 balls.
7. Freeze these for at least 1 hour.
8. When you're ready, break up the Lily's into small pieces and place in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir occasionally until completely melted. Pour over the top of the cheesecake balls.
9. Refrigerate for another hour.
   
   
   
   Keep refrigerated until you're ready to enjoy!
   
   

Coconut Chocolate Bites

This is the first sweet treat I have made in a very long time, and the first I had eaten in a month. I made one batch and took half to a party where they were a hit. They were so popular in our house and with our guests I had to make a second batch just 2 days later!



I'm excited to be back and even more excited to share this first of my sugar free, gluten-free recipes!




Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Coconut Butter (or manna)
1/2 Cup Coconut Oil
1/2 Cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
2 Tbsp Swerve (either granular or powdered will work fine)
1 Lily's dark chocolate bar (3oz)

Seriously, that's all you need. These are so easy!

Directions:
1. In a small to medium saucepan melt the coconut butter and coconut oil over low heat stirring occasionally, be patient, don't crank it up.
2. While you wait line a mini muffin tin with 24 paper liners.
3. When the oil and butter are melted stir in the Swerve until dissolved.
4. Turn off heat. Add the shredded coconut and stir to incorporate.
5. Pour the coconut mixture into the paper liners, I find that using a measuring tablespoon gives just about the right amount for each cup and is an easy vessel that doesn't make too much of a mess.
6. Put the pan in the freezer for at least 30 minutes (or longer...).
7. Whenever you're ready to continue, break up the Lily's into small pieces and place in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir occasionally until completely melted. Pour over frozen coconut candies*.


*I like to use a teaspoon for this. A half full teaspoon (not measuring spoon, just from the silverware drawer) is about the right amount, the chocolate pours easily off the end of it and you can dab the tip of the spoon into the middle of the poured chocolate to make it spread out evenly.


Let the chocolate harden and enjoy!! These can be stored on the counter for a week or refrigerate or freeze them for long lasting goodness!

I'mmmm baaaack!!

Hi everyone! It's been a long time since I've been active with the blog. So much has happened and as it goes some things were pushed to the back burner. I promise it's not indicative of my love for you or my love for cooking!  

I'm in the process of typing up my first recipe for the blog in a long time. I've just learned that I need to be (at least mostly) gluten-free and sugar free, but I'm still committed to making food for "regular" people too! I'm definitely going to be working on becoming a master GF/SF baker! More to come on that..

My web url was "stolen" from me when I was in the process of changing it from one company to another (I was so naive about how these things work.. lesson learned!) so we're going to just keep it all here on blogspot for now.

If you have any requests or want me to convert a recipe from it's natural state to something that caters to your dietary needs I'm up for the challenge, just send me a message anytime! See you soon!