Mousse au chocolat protéinée

 

Voici une recette tirée de Déjeuners protéinés d’Hubert Cormier. Ça demande une certaine préparation, parce que le lait en poudre sans lactose, ça ne court pas les rues (de un), et je n’ai pas encore trouvé de poudre protéinée au chocolat végétalienne que j’aime (de deux). Le défaut, c’est que je n’ai pas assez de satiété avec ces portions (19 g de protéines, alors que je vise plutôt 30 g), mais tant qu’on a une poudre protéinée dont on aime le goût, c’est une bonne mousse!

12 oz. de tofu soyeux (les paquets ici font 10.8 oz.)
3 c. à soupe de poudre de protéines végétales au chocolat
1 c. à soupe de cacao
1 c. à soupe de sirop d’érable
2 c. à soupe de beurre d’amandes
¼ tasse de lait en poudre sans lactose
1 c. à thé d’extrait de vanille
1 c. à thé de rhum brun (j’ai plutôt mis de l’essence de noix de coco)
1 pincée de sel
1 pincée de piment broyé (je ne l’ai pas utilisé)

Au robot culinaire, mélanger tout d’abord les ingrédients de la mousse jusqu’à l’obtention d’une belle texture aérienne.

Verser dans 2 bols. Garnir au goût et servir.

Secret Ingredient Chocolate Pudding

 

This recipe is from Angela Liddon’s Oh She Glows Every Day cookbook, and it’s also online here. I’ve made chocolate pudding with vegetal ingredients before (like avocado, black beans, or tofu), but I think it’s the first time I made one with sweet potato? It was really good! The amounts below are slightly adapted.

For the pudding
1 ¼ cups (6 oz/170 g) diced peeled sweet potato
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
¼ cup unsweetened almond milk (I used lactose-free milk)
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
2 Tbsp. raw or roasted smooth almond butter or raw cashew butter
1 Tbsp. virgin coconut oil, softened
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
¼ tsp. fine sea salt

Topping suggestions
coconut whipped cream (I used vegan ReddiWhip)
fresh berries or pomegranate arils
sliced almonds, toasted
granola

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and set a steamer basket on top. Steam the sweet potato in the basket, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes, until fork-tender. You may also use a steamer appliance. Turn off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes.

Transfer the sweet potato (you should have 1 lightly packed cup) to a food processor and add the maple syrup. Process until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients and process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the bowl as necessary. Taste and adjust the sweetness, if desired. I find this pudding tastes a bit sweeter after chilling, so keep that in mind. You can always adjust the sweetness after it chills.

Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least a few hours or up to overnight to thicken. If the pudding is too thick for your liking, you can thin it out with a splash of almond milk.

Serve the pudding with coconut whipped cream, fresh berries, and toasted sliced almonds, if desired. You can also enjoy it on its own, or with homemade granola sprinkled on top. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

Pain à la citrouille et au chocolat

 

Bon, une autre recette de Ricardo, parfaite pour l’automne! Ce pain à la citrouille et au chocolat était vraiment très bon pour déjeuner; le crumble chocolaté fait vraiment toute la différence! La recette d’origine précise qu’on pourrait aussi en faire des muffins, en les faisant cuire de 20 à 25 minutes.

Pour le crumble au cacao et aux épices
40 g (¼ tasse) de farine tout usage non blanchie
2 c. à soupe de beurre sans lactose, ramolli
2 c. à soupe de cassonade
1 c. à soupe de cacao
½ c. à thé de cannelle moulue
¼ c. à thé de cardamome moulue
1 pincée de fleur de sel

Pour le pain
225 g (1 ½ tasse) de farine tout usage non blanchie
2 c. à thé de cannelle moulue
1 c. à thé de poudre à pâte
1 c. à thé de bicarbonate de soude
½ c. à thé de cardamome moulue
¼ c. à thé de sel
115 g (½ tasse) de beurre sans lactose, ramolli
210 g (1 tasse) de cassonade
1 œuf
1 tasse de purée de citrouille
½ tasse de crème sure sans lactose
140 g (5 oz) de chocolat noir à 70 % ou au lait, coupé en gros morceaux


Pour le crumble au cacao et aux épices
Placer la grille au centre du four. Préchauffer le four à 350 °F. Beurrer un moule à pain de 23 x 13 cm (9 x 5 po) et le tapisser d’une bande de papier parchemin en la laissant dépasser sur deux côtés.

Dans un bol, mélanger tous les ingrédients jusqu’à ce que la préparation soit tout juste humectée. Réserver.

Pour le pain
Dans un autre bol, mélanger la farine, la cannelle, la poudre à pâte, le bicarbonate, la cardamome et le sel.

Dans un troisième bol, crémer le beurre avec la cassonade au batteur électrique. Ajouter l’œuf et mélanger jusqu’à ce que la préparation soit homogène. À basse vitesse, incorporer la purée de citrouille, puis les ingrédients secs en alternant avec la crème sure. Ajouter le chocolat et mélanger. Répartir la pâte dans le moule. Presser le crumble au cacao avec les mains et le laisser tomber en morceaux de différentes grosseurs sur la pâte dans le moule.

Cuire au four 1 heure ou jusqu’à ce qu’un cure-dents inséré au centre du pain en ressorte propre. Laisser refroidir complètement sur une grille, soit environ 3 heures. Démouler et couper en tranches.

Poudings au chocolat et petits fruits

 

Et une dernière recette de Ricardo aujourd’hui, ces délicieux poudings au chocolat et petits fruits! La recette annonçait « du bonheur en pot », et c’est exactement ça!

Pour les poudings
225 g (8 oz) de chocolat au lait, haché (j’ai pris du chocolat noir)
40 g (3 c. à soupe) de sucre
2 œufs
1 tasse de crème 35 % sans lactose à fouetter (végétalienne pour moi)

Pour le crumble
95 g (¾ tasse) de chapelure de biscuits au chocolat
55 g (2 oz) de chocolat au lait, fondu et tempéré (j’ai pris du chocolat noir)
¼ c. à thé de fleur de sel

Pour la garniture
½ tasse de crème 35 % sans lactose à fouetter (végétalienne pour moi)
1 c. à soupe de sucre
130 g (¾ tasse) de fraises fraîches coupées en quartiers 70 g (½ tasse) de framboises fraîches



Pour les poudings
Dans un bol, déposer le chocolat. Réserver.

Dans une petite casserole, hors du feu, mélanger au fouet le sucre avec les œufs jusqu’à ce que le mélange soit homogène. Ajouter la crème en remuant.

Cuire à feu moyen-doux, en remuant constamment à la cuillère de bois et en raclant le fond et la paroi de la casserole, jusqu’à ce que la préparation ait un premier bouillon, épaississe et nappe le dos de la cuillère, soit environ 10 minutes. Verser sur le chocolat et laisser reposer 2 minutes sans remuer. Mélanger au fouet jusqu’à ce que la préparation soit homogène.

Répartir le pouding au chocolat dans 6 pots en verre d’une contenance de 250 ml (1 tasse) chacun, soit environ 75 ml (1/3 tasse) par pot. Couvrir et réfrigérer 3 heures ou toute une nuit.

Pour le crumble
Entre-temps, dans un bol, mélanger la chapelure avec le chocolat et la fleur de sel. Répartir le mélange sur une petite plaque de cuisson ou une assiette tapissée de papier parchemin. Réfrigérer 1 heure ou jusqu’à ce que le crumble soit ferme. Concasser en morceaux. Le crumble se conserve 5 jours dans un contenant hermétique au réfrigérateur.

Pour la garniture
Dans un bol, fouetter la crème avec le sucre au batteur électrique jusqu’à l’obtention de pics fermes mais encore souples. Répartir la crème sur les poudings. Garnir des fruits et du crumble. Les poudings garnis se conservent 1 jour au réfrigérateur.

Mocha Banana Protein Smoothie Bowl

 

I saw this recipe and adapted it a bit (my version is below), and I was pleasantly surprised to find that this is pretty satiating! I’ll have to make it part of the rotation. For the topping, I used protein peanut butter, sliced banana, and coconut chocolate granola. This makes 1 serving.

1 large banana
½ cup lactose-free milk
1 scoop your favorite protein powder (plain, vanilla or chocolate; I used pumpkin seed powder)
1 packet instant coffee, if desired (I used 1 tsp.)
½ Tbsp. maca powder (this was my addition)
1 cup spinach (if you want a superfood boost)
a few ice cubes

Toppings (optional)
almond butter, toasted almonds, chia seeds, granola, fruit, carob chips, coconut flakes

Add all ingredients except desired toppings to a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. If necessary, add more almond milk and/or ice to reach the desired consistency. The smoothie should be fairly thick so that you can eat it with a spoon.

Pour into a bowl and top with desired toppings such as chia and granola.

Biscuits avoine et pois chiches au chocolat noir et aux flocons de sel

 

J’ai essayé les biscuits avoine et pois chiches au chocolat noir et aux flocons de sel de Loounie Cuisine. Je pense que je n’en ai jamais parlé ici, parce que c’est arrivé bien avant la création de ce blogue, mais j’avais déjà essayé les biscuits pois chiches et pépites de chocolat de Jessica Seinfeld, où il fallait mettre des pois chiches entiers et elle disait qu’on n’y voyait que du feu – FAUX! On les sentait en titi, les pois chiches entiers! Ici, dans la recette de Loounie, c’est beaucoup mieux, parce que les pois chiches sont réduits en purée, et c’était très bon.

J’ai dû adapter un peu pour des mesures américaines (on a seulement des boîtes de conserve de 15 onces, pas 19, ici). On a beaucoup aimé! J’ai obtenu 11 biscuits; j’imagine qu’on en obtient davantage avec les mesures d’origine.

2/3 tasse de flocons d’avoine à l’ancienne ou à cuisson rapide
1 boîte de 15 oz (environ 1 ½ tasse) de pois chiches (ou c’était 19 oz/2 tasses à l’origine)
½ tasse de sucre
2 c. à soupe de tahini (ou du beurre d’amandes ou d’arachides)
1 c. à thé de vanille
1 c. à thé de vinaigre de cidre
½ c. à thé de bicarbonate de soude
½ c. à thé de sel
½ tasse (3 oz. pour moi) de morceaux de chocolat noir, hachés au couteau
flocons de sel de type Maldon ou de fleur de sel, au goût

Préchauffez le four à 350 °F. Préparez une plaque couverte de papier parchemin ou d’un tapis de cuisson antiadhésif.

Mettez les flocons d’avoine dans un robot culinaire. Broyez-les jusqu’à l’obtention d’une texture de farine grossière. Ajoutez les pois chiches, le sucre, le tahini, l’essence de vanille, le vinaigre de cidre, le bicarbonate de soude et le sel. Broyez les ingrédients jusqu’à l’obtention d’une texture de houmous lisse. Transférez la préparation dans un bol, ajoutez les morceaux de chocolat noir, puis mélangez bien.

À l’aide d’une cuillère, formez des boules d'environ 1 ½ c. à soupe de préparation pour faire de 18 à 20 biscuits (j’ai pris ma cuillère à biscuits et j’ai obtenu 11 biscuits). Placez-les sur la plaque et saupoudrez un peu de flocons de sel sur chacun d'eux.

Faites cuire les biscuits de 18 à 22 minutes (15 minutes dans mon cas) ou jusqu’à ce qu'ils soient légèrement dorés. Laissez-les refroidir au moins 10 minutes avant de les manipuler. Les biscuits prendront une texture plus solide en refroidissant.

Chocolate Coconut Granola

 

I finally got around to making Bobby Flay’s Chocolate Coconut Granola, and it was really good! This one had the particularity of having chunks of granola that were encased in a caramel-like coating, which worked remarkably well with the chocolate! I like to eat my granola with lactose-free plain Greek yogurt.

¼ cup plus 1 Tbsp. coconut oil
1/3 cup best-quality cocoa powder (such as Vahlrona or Callebaut)
¼ cup clover honey
¼ cup granulated cane sugar
1 pinch of fine sea salt
1/8 tsp. pure coconut extract
1/8 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 ½ cups oats
½ cup raw whole almonds, coarsely chopped (I used pecans)
½ cup coconut chips, coarsely chopped
¼ cup best-quality bittersweet chocolate chips (I used Ghiradelli)
¼ cup best-quality white chocolate chips

Adjust the baking rack in the oven to the middle rack. Preheat the oven to 275 °F. Brush a half sheet pan with 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil.

Heat the remaining ¼ cup coconut oil over medium heat in a small saucepan. Whisk in the cocoa powder, honey, sugar and salt and bring to a simmer. Cook, whisking constantly until smooth and the sugar is completely melted. Stir in the coconut and vanilla extracts. Keep warm.

Combine the oats, almonds and coconut chips in a bowl. Add the cocoa mixture and mix with a rubber spatula until the oat mixture is completely coated with the cocoa mixture. Transfer the mixture to the prepared sheet pan and press into an even layer. Bake for 50 minutes. Turn off the oven and let sit in the warm oven for 30 minutes longer. Remove to a baking rack and let cool.

In a large bowl, break into pieces and toss together with the bittersweet and white chocolate chips.

Muffins matcha et chocolat blanc

 

O.K., j’ai vu cette publication Instagram de Marilou (Trois Fois par Jour) et ça m’a inspirée. Les saveurs me plaisent, et la farine d’amandes ajoute une petite touche santé. J’ai modifié la recette un peu, et on a adoré! Je l’ai ensuite refaite avec du matcha de meilleure qualité, et une troisième fois juste pour le fun. L’Ingénieur est d’accord que c’est un muffin A+, ça vaut un 10/10, et tout le monde aime ça dans ma famille!

Pour les ingrédients secs
1 tasse de farine tout usage
1 tasse de farine d’amande
¼ de tasse de sucre
1 c. à thé de poudre à pâte
2 c. à thé de poudre de matcha
1 pincée de sel
¾ tasses de pépites de chocolat blanc

Pour les ingrédients humides
1 œuf
1 tasse de lait sans lactose
¼ de tasse de beurre sans lactose fondu

Préchauffer le four à 350 °F. Beurrer 9 moules à muffins ou les chemiser de papier.

Dans un bol, verser tous les ingrédients secs et mélanger.

Dans un autre bol, mélanger tous les ingrédients humides. Incorporer aux ingrédients secs.

Verser le mélange à muffin au fond des moules, puis enfourner de 12 à 15 minutes (honnêtement, pour moi, c’est plus près de 22 minutes).

Dark Chocolate Orange Cake

I made this dark chocolate and orange cake and adapted the instructions for a North American audience. The recipe calls for chocolate chips; I made it as requested, but I really feel like miniature chocolate chips would be better here, especially since they all sank to the bottom. But when I voiced my opinion, both the Engineer and the Little Prince said that they love the texture of those chips in the cake and would not change it. So I guess it’s your choice how you make it!

For the cake
1 ½ cups plain flour
½ cup cocoa powder (I used 50 g)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup oil
1/3 cup water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
zest of 1 orange
1 cup dark chocolate chips (see note above)

For the icing
1 cup icing sugar, sifted
zest of 1 orange
juice of ½ an orange

To decorate (optional)
sliced orange, physalis, sliced kumquats, chocolate curls

Preheat your oven to 350 °F, grease a large cake tin (I used a 9” springform pan) and line the bottom with greaseproof paper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients with a whisk. Make a well in the center and add your wet ingredients and the orange zest. Whisk together until a thick but pourable batter forms. Fold in the chocolate chips and pour into the cake tin. Bake for an hour, until the cake no longer jiggles when shaken and a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out mostly clean (because of the chocolate chips it won’t come out completely clean.)

Set aside to cool completely in the tin; once cooled, refrigerate for an hour or overnight top make sure that the chocolate is really set.

Remove your cake from the fridge and carefully take it out of the tin. Make the icing by combining all the ingredients and mixing thoroughly until you get a thick, spreadable mixture. Pour all the icing onto the middle of the cake and, using a spoon, spread the icing carefully to the edges of the cake, allowing some to drip down the sides (but not too much.)

Top with physalis, or whatever you fancy using to decorate it! This cake is delicious as it is, but is also really fudgy and comforting when eaten warm (if you want to eat it warm, just pop your slice in the microwave for 20 seconds and enjoy!).

Coconut Peanut Butter Bars

 

I feel like a large proportion of desserts marketed as low-sugar or PCOS-friendly end up being bars. I made chocolate coconut cream bars and was quite disappointed. I was expecting something along the lines of haupia pie squares or Nanaimo bars, but the result has an unappealing texture and was quite bland.

But then these coconut peanut butter bars were more up my alley. They are also gluten-free and vegan (assuming you use maple syrup instead of honey).

For the bars
2 cups rolled oats
2/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
½ cup almond flour
1 cup natural peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
¼ cup maple syrup or honey
1 Tbsp. coconut oil

For the topping
½ cup dark chocolate chips
1 Tbsp. coconut oil

In a large bowl, mix all of the bar ingredients. The consistency should be damp and sticking together. Press the mixture into an 8” square dish. Try to make an even layer.

Melt the chocolate and coconut oil on the stove top (a double-boiler is my favorite method) or in the microwave.

Spread over bars. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Cut into 12 bars. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Matcha Lava Cakes

 

I’ve made three recipes with matcha recently. I’ll post the muffin one soon, and there was a coconut matcha panna cotta that never gelled and was way too sweet, but here’s a dessert you will love! It’s matcha lava cakes. The original recipe makes 2 cakes, and I decided that it really wasn’t enough, so I doubled it and got 5 ramekins of about 4 ounces each; the amounts below are mine. Note also that I adjusted the cooking time (15 minutes instead of 9), as I was going for a gooey consistency more than a river-flow of filling. These were amazing! It’s worth spending some money on great matcha so that you get vibrant green cakes.

120 g white chocolate (lactose-free if possible)
6 Tbsp. lactose-free butter, softened
80 g sugar
1 pinch salt
2 eggs
16 g matcha powder
50 g flour

Butter 4 (or 5) ramekins and dust with some flour (especially the bottom part of the ramekin).

In a double-boiler, melt the white chocolate and mix well.

Add softened butter into melted white chocolate and mix well to incorporate.

Mix in the sugar, then beat in the eggs.

Sift in the matcha powder and flour. Mix well until no visible lumps remain.

Pour into prepared ramekins, cling-wrap surface of ramekin and put into the freezer for at least 30 minutes (so that the outside gets cooked faster than the insides).

Preheat oven to 450 °F.

Remove the cling-wrap, place ramekins on a baking sheet, and bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes (see note above). It is done when the cake does not look too wobbly when you gently prod it and the surface is evenly colored (not darker in the middle).

Leave cake in the ramekin for 10 minutes to cool. Use a spatula/knife to run the sides of the cake so that it no longer sticks to the bowl. Gently flip the ramekin onto another plate so that the cake falls off nicely. Serve immediately.

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

 

I tried these chocolate chip peanut butter oatmeal cookies. To be honest, these do not beat the best of each category of cookies I like to make (chocolate chip, peanut butter, and oatmeal chocolate chip), but it was nice to taste something new that combined all of them!

½ cup lactose-free butter, softened to room temperature
1 ¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
1/3 cup peanut butter (I used Skippy Natural)
1 egg + 1 yolk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup old fashioned whole oats
½ tsp. baking soda
1 pinch of salt
1 cup chocolate chips (I used bittersweet)

Preheat the oven to 325 °F. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper and set aside.

Cream together the butter with the sugars, then mix in the peanut butter.

Add the egg and egg yolk and vanilla extract, and stir.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ones and stir. (You should have achieved cookie dough consistency, and if you haven’t, either add a touch more flour if it’s too wet or a touch more peanut butter if it’s too dry.)

Finally, add the chocolate chips and stir in.

Scoop a dozen golf ball-sized portions of dough onto the cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. They spread but not much (a tip to reduce spreading is to refrigerate and chill the dough prior to baking).

Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes. (I like soft cookies, so I baked mine for 10 minutes.) Let cool before eating.

Fiji

 I went on this amazing trip to Fiji over spring break, basically because Fiji Airways was having a crazy sale on the direct flight to/from Dallas (I mean, I literally have paid the same for a ticket to Montreal, so this was too good to pass up!), plus it’s low season over there so accommodations were within my budget. And it was amazing!

I stuck to Viti Levu (the big island) partly for financial considerations and partly to make logistics easier, especially since it was also the rainy season and I didn’t know what to expect. (It turns out the weather was beautiful, but even the day before my departure, the forecast looked pretty bad!) But did you know that Fiji has a total of 333 islands? There is a lot to explore!

First, know that the Nadi airport has a room where you can store your luggage securely – it is located right next to the car rental counters, and you must pay in cash. The price was FJD 10.05 for my suitcase. So I left my checked bag there and took only my backpack with me for sightseeing.

I booked a tour from an agency that was directly in the airport lobby. Obviously, I’d recommend doing this ahead of time, but I hadn’t realized that for many travelers, Fiji is a connecting destination, so they often do a quick tour between flights and there are several agencies that accommodate it. I got lucky and got a spot! (This was one place where credit cards are the way to go, so make sure you know your PIN if your card requires one overseas.)

Our first stop was Sri Siva Subramaniya Swami Temple, which is the biggest Hindu temple in the Pacific. I love how colorful it is! You must be dressed modestly, though they can lend you a sarong to cover up, and you will need to take off your shoes for the visit. You can only take photos on the outside, so you’ll just have to take my word for it that the inside, especially the paintings on the ceiling, is worth the visit! There are also coconut trees outside, which to me are always exotic.

The next stop was the Nadi farmers’ market, where you can buy souvenirs (including honey, tamarind paste, and kava powder). I loved seeing the tropical flowers as well as all the exotic produce! I tasted the most amazing lady finger banana – I mean, it was so much sweeter and more flavorful than any banana I’d ever had before! I also tasted kava, a local drink, which… might be an acquired taste, to be honest.

The third stop was Viseisei Village, the first settlement in Fiji, founded some 3,000 years ago by people who sailed in from what is now Tanzania. We encouraged the local economy a bit by purchasing some souvenirs (jewelry in my case, which is definitely plastic instead of the pearl and coral promised, but I really like what I bought!), then I donned a sarong (women must wear one at the village), and we visited the village square and the church. Our guide told us that the locals are very happy they were converted to Christianity! The highlight for me was that they built the whole church themselves, so that they would have a place of worship that didn’t get blown down by every hurricane. The dome was particularly impressive, especially given that they built that part in only a day! We also saw the chief’s house, which isn’t actually where he lives, but where he hosts official visitors (like the British Royal Family).

The last stop on the tour was the one I really wanted to see, the Garden of the Sleeping Giant. There is a collection of orchids, as well as more expansive grounds with lots of native plants which you can take more time to explore. Upon returning to the reception area, we were given a glass of fresh fruit juice, and it was fabulous!

I really liked doing this tour because it allowed me to see a lot of things in the area, and it was affordable. I also learned things about Fiji; I knew that its main industry is tourism, but I learned that the next three are exports: in order, sugar cane, wood (especially mahogany), and Fiji water. Plus, the people are very friendly! You can expect to hear “Bula!” many, many times a day (it is a greeting, the equivalent of both “hello” and “welcome”).

Another thing I would have liked to do in the area is visit the hot springs and mud baths; however, logistics seemed a bit complicated for me given that I was still in transit between the airport and my hotel. But it’s one of the top things to do in Fiji!

My hotel was on the Coral Coast, which is known for its beaches and clear water. While it was a really nice hotel, I have to admit that I was a little disappointed by the waterfront – I had not realized that the whole thing was on a lagoon, not a sandy beach like I had pictured. And there were a few problems with the billing, but that’s another story! The grounds were really nice, though, and there was a fruit bat colony right there are the hotel, which provided endless entertainment for me.

The next day, I took a cab to Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park, which was wonderful. The guide who greeted me showed me the map (of which I took a photo, because they don’t have paper copies) and told me about the two trail options. Since it was already hot at 9:00am, I opted for the shorter trail. I couldn’t tell you how long it is, though, because even though the guide said it was 1.5 km (0.93 miles), I started walking uphill and after 5 minutes or so, cursed under my breath because I had forgotten to start my Strava counter. I started it right then, and by the time I came back to my starting point (the trail is a loop), my Strava indicated I had walked 2.9 miles! Is it possible that the trail is 1.5 km as seen from above, but with the many hills (Strava says elevation is 182 feet, though I didn’t start from the very beginning), it actually comes out to be more? For what it’s worth, it certainly felt closer to 3 miles than to 1 mile.

Anyway, the hike starts out in the jungle; you get incredible views of the dunes and ocean, then walk down to the beach. Swimming would be ill-advised, because the waves and currents are really strong, but of course I dipped my feet in for the part of the hike! Once I had dried off, I went back into the jungle, passing birds and a fruit bat colony, then made it back to the welcome counter. I looked at the exhibits they had, which I hadn’t taken the time to do before. There’s a lot there about artefacts that were found on site, as well as explanations about traditional Fijian culture. This was a great visit – I highly recommend it!

I spent the rest of my vacation at my hotel, wading in the lagoon or in the pool and reading, and really just enjoying the surroundings. Oh, and I tried local chocolate! There’s Vanua Chocolate, near the Nadi airport, which offers tours of their chocolate factory, but only for groups of four or more people (I asked). So I ended up buying some of their chocolate at the airport instead of going in person. I also got some Fijiana Cacao chocolate, including two types of white chocolate. In all honesty, both brands of dark chocolate had bloomed and seemed bland, as well as dry and brittle. I actually noticed that on the package of Vanua dark chocolate labeled “60% cocoa,” the first ingredient was actually sugar…

Dark Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

 

I got this recipe from the PCOS Nutrition Center. It was meant to have coconut whipped cream, but the recipe called for a refrigerated can of coconut milk, which was obviously too liquid – use a can of coconut cream, or something like vegan whipped cream if you want. This makes two servings for breakfast, and fresh fruit would be a good addition!

2 cups unsweetened almond milk (or lactose-free milk)
½ cup plus 1 tsp chia seeds
2 Tbsp. grade B (or medium) maple syrup
2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 tsp. sea salt
1 15-oz. can coconut cream (refrigerated 4+ hours)

To make this dark chocolate chia seed pudding, combine all ingredients except coconut cream in a medium sized bowl. Mix well.

Divide mixture evenly into 2 small bowls or mason jars. Cover and refrigerate for 4-6 hours. (Can stay refrigerated for up to 4 days).

While the pudding is setting, place a can of coconut cream in the fridge.

Once pudding is set, remove coconut cream. At this point, the cream should be solid. Scoop solid coconut cream out of can and place in a chilled mixing bowl. Beat coconut cream with a stand mixer or electric hand mixer for approximately 1 minute or until it turns creamy and forms stiff peaks. You may need to add a tablespoon of coconut liquid if solids are too dense.

Remove puddings from fridge and top each with whipped coconut cream.

Almond Joy Protein Overnight Oatmeal

 I tried two different kinds of overnight chocolate oatmeal recently. First was this chocolate oatmeal by Minimalist Baker. Honestly, it was good, but Minimalist Baker has this weird thing where it doesn’t want me posting one of their recipes (which is not copyrighted), though it’s fine with me reposting one of their photos (which are copyrighted). I don’t get it, but anyway, if you want that recipe, you can follow the link.

Then there was this Almond Joy protein overnight oatmeal from Kim’s Cravings, which has the advantage of containing more protein so that you feel satiated for longer. And it was good! I would use more liquid next time, and more cocoa powder. I do feel like the toppings, whichever you choose, are essential here!

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
2 scoops chocolate protein powder (I used vanilla protein powder + chocolate supergreens powder)
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. coconut extract
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or lactose-free milk of choice; see note above)
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
½ Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder (or more, to taste)
1-2 Tbsp. chia seeds (optional)
optional toppings: chopped almonds, shredded coconut, chocolate syrup, fruit, and/or stevia packets

In a small bowl, mix all of the ingredients together (except for toppings).

Divide mixture (1 cup each) between 2 bowls, mugs, or mason jars. Cover and refrigerate overnight (or for at least 2 hours) so the oats soften and absorb the liquid.

Just before serving, add a splash of milk, toppings and enjoy cold, or microwave for 30-60 seconds to enjoy warm!

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

 

These chocolate crinkle cookies would be great for a holiday cookie swap or for Valentine’s Day, but I feel like they are good year-round. They were easy to make and really delicious! I got 24 cookies from this recipe.

½ cup cocoa powder
1 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup vegetable oil (like canola, or light olive oil)
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
½ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

In a mixing bowl, combine granulated sugar, cocoa powder, oil, vanilla extract and eggs. Whisk until the mixture is smooth.

In a separate bowl, combine flour together, baking powder and salt.

Add the flour mixture to the cocoa mixture and stir to combine.

Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Scoop dough with a mini ice cream scoop for even portioning (mine holds about 1 tablespoon of dough), then roll cookie dough into even-sized balls (it's easier to roll with wet hands). Roll each ball into powdered sugar.

Place cookies on a baking sheet lined with a silpat, being sure to leave space between each of the cookies. Bake for 10-12 minutes, depending on the size of the cookies. Cookies will come out soft but will harden as they cool down. (I baked mine for 9 minutes because that gave them a nice chew and that’s how I like them.) Allow cookies to cool slightly, then move them to a wire rack to fully cool down.