Jalapeno Fudge

If you've never tried the unusual combination of chocolate and hot pepper, be open minded - it really works! I love both individually, and the combination is unusual but great tasting.

This fudge recipe itself is a winner. Unfortunately, I can't find where I copied the original recipe from, to credit it, but I've tweaked it now so I guess I can claim it. If fudge can be healthy, then this is it. Coconut oil has a long list of nutritional attributes, and unsweetened chocolate is hailed for its antioxidant value. Or am I just justifying an indulgence?!?!

As with all of my recipes, quality ingredients are suggested to attain excellent taste. The jalapeno powder used here is one I make from my own homegrown organic jalapenos, harvested only after they ripen to red. (See my instructions on this previous post.) You might get a similar product if you buy hot pepper flakes - the kind used to spice up pizza - which are actually the seeds of hot peppers. Grind these into a powder. You'll need to experiment with the amount you add to this recipe, since the "heat" may vary. Or you can contact me and I'll share my powder with you. 

In addition to the fine jalapeno powder, I've used locally harvested honey, vanilla extract I make with whole beans soaked in vodka, organic peanut butter which I grind fresh at our supermarket, and pecans from a farm in Georgia. For the unsweetened cocoa powder, I used about 1/8 cup of something called "black cocoa powder" which I bought from a store in a Mennonite community in Muddy Pond TN. As its name suggests, it is much darker in color than any cocoa powder I have ever seen, and very strong tasting. Adding just a bit imparts the intense bitter chocolate taste that I love. For the remaining cup of cocoa powder, I used Ghiradelli® unsweetened cocoa powder, which is good quality too.

Jalapeno Fudge

INGREDIENTS

• 1 c coconut oil, melted
• 1 c unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/3 c honey
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1/2 t almond extract
• 2 t jalapeno powder
• dash salt
• 1/3 c peanut butter (smooth or chunky)
• 1/2 c chopped pecans

INSTRUCTIONS

Grease a 9"x6" foil fudge pan with coconut oil.

Put all ingredients except the peanut butter and the pecans into a food processor. Process for two minutes. Scrap down the sides and add the peanut butter. Process again for two minutes or long enough to be certain the powders are well incorporated with the liquids. You can also do this in a standup mixer, beating to totally dissolve the powders.

Stir the chopped pecans into the mixture. It will be very liquidy. Pour it into the prepared foil pan. Set the pan in the refrigerator for 2 hours or until firm. Cut into small pieces. A plastic knife works well for this, just as I've learned to use to cut homemade brownies. Be sure to keep these refrigerated until serving, since the coconut oil softens at about 75 degrees and you'll find this fudge becomes finger-licking good if left at room temperature.

The Proof is in the Pudding

This pudding recipe is one of my favorite concoctions to make in a Vitamix. The basic recipe is for Mint Chocolate Chip pudding, but I've also come up with variations for turning it into ice cream, and for flavoring tips to change it into Mocha Pudding or Chocolate Mint Pudding and other delights. I'll never get tired of it!

The surprising main ingredient is avocado, but you'd never know it by tasting a spoonful of this rich, satisfying dessert. The avocado adds a creamy texture - of course, in addition to adding a boost of good nutrients. The avocado creates the green color to the basic recipe, or blends with chocolate in the recipe variations to make a rich cocoa cream.

If avocados are not in your diet, out of season, or too pricey for a splurge, see my substitution of tofu. Many other substitutions in the basic recipe are noted. The coconut oil is an ingredient you won't want to change however; it is liquid at temperatures above 75 degrees, but hardens below that temperature, so, when this pudding is refrigerated or frozen, the texture thickens partly because of the coconut oil. Besides, coconut oil is very beneficial and nutrient dense.

Mint Chocolate Chip Pudding

2 ripe avocados
1/2 c unsweetened almond milk
3 T honey
1 T coconut oil, warmed to liquid consistency so it mixes well
2 peppermint herbal tea bags
2 oz. dark chocolate bits (or broken pieces from a bar)

Remove the avocado skin and seed, and put the pulp into the Vitamix. Add everything else except the chocolate chunks into the Vitamix, tearing the tea bags to use the dried peppermint.

Run the Vitamix on 10 (the highest speed), mixing with the plunger tool, for 30-45 seconds, until a smooth green mixture forms. The mixture might get warm from the friction of blending, and this is the reason for not adding the chocolate chunks yet. (Actually, I made this mistake and it lead to the creation of some of the variations below.) Scrape the mixture out (this is the only hard part) and into a refrigerator container. When it has cooled, mix in the chocolate chunks. You can spoon the pudding into individual serving bowls to serve. If you are not ready to serve it right away, lay a piece of wax paper or plastic wrap over the surface or the avocado may oxidize and turn the top brown. You can alternately freeze the mixture and serve it as an ice cream, but I've found the timing a bit tricky… too long in the freezer and it's too hard. I'd suggest you try 30-45 minutes of freezing before serving.

VARIATIONS
Chocolate Pudding: Eliminate the peppermint. Add the chocolate chunks to the Vitamix with all the other ingredients.

Chocolate Raspberry: Eliminate the peppermint. Add the chocolate chunks to the Vitamix with all the other ingredients. After the pudding is spooned out, stir 1/2 cup of fresh or frozen raspberries into the pudding and continue to cool or freeze until ready to serve.
Mocha: Eliminate the peppermint. Add the chocolate chunks (or 2 T of unsweetened cocoa powder) plus 1 T of Roma or Cafix coffee-flavored grain powder to the Vitamix with all the other ingredients.

SUBSTITUTIONS

Mint: When I have fresh herbs from my garden, I eliminate the peppermint tea bags and use 1/4 c of fresh peppermint, spearmint, or chocolate mint leaves. Of course, you can substitute peppermint extract (try 1/2 t) for the dried or fresh mint leaves.
No avocados? Use 1 cup of organic firm tofu for the same creamy consistency. Use organic to insure the tofu is made from non-GMO soy.
Guar Gum:  This is a natural thickener and volume enhancer, sold as a powdery substance, made from a seed. If you don't have any, you might try using agar-agar flakes, arrowroot powder, or xanthan gum - but I haven't tested these other gelatin-like ingredients.
Chocolate: You can substitute 1/4 c of unsweetened cocoa powder for the chocolate chunks, and this can be added to the Vitamix with all the other ingredients. For a caffeine-free version, I usually use 1/4 c of unsweetened carob powder instead of the cocoa powder, so we can enjoy our pudding in the evening.

Almond Milk:  You can substitute unsweetened rice milk, coconut milk, organic soy milk, or nonfat organic cow's milk. You might even try fruit juice in place of all or some of the milk, like cherry or orange.

Other Flavors: 

Experiment with other flavorings… how about Chocolate Orange by adding orange juice in place of some of the milk, plus dried or fresh orange peel or orange extract? Or mix some chopped nuts into the chocolate variation. I plan to try the chocolate variation and adding some fresh cinnamon basil, anise hyssop, or lemon balm leaves from my garden. The possibilities are many - let me know your favorite!

Be Mine!

February 14th is a special day for me and my honey, since it is the day we married (way back in 1976). Here's my annual Valentine's Day recipe, in time for you to try it: Red Velvet Cake, made using beets. Don't stop reading here - it's delicious!

Beets are one of my new favorite veggies, and I had read recipes which used red beets to make Red Velvet Cake (instead of a whole bottle of toxic red food coloring). This could be the perfect opportunity to use my heart-shaped springform pan and heart-shaped serving dish! I found a red velvet cake recipe using beets online and followed the recipe the first time, except substituting GF flour. The second time I made it, I made many changes, creating my own recipe to make a more healthy end product. I also created some beet-juice tinted decorations!

Commonly, recipes for this cake use buttermilk, so I'm certain that the milk + lemon juice + yogurt + vinegar works as a substitute here, and I wouldn't eliminate them. I up'd the spices however, since I could hardly taste them in the original recipe, and added the vanilla extract… all nice complements to the mild cocoa flavor.

I also wanted to stick with a simple topping, rather than the customary cream cheese or 7-minute frostings, which are heavy on refined sugar. Whipped cream with raspberries or strawberries would be nice, but I didn't have those ingredients on hand. If it were springtime, I'd use some lovely pansies (edible and pretty) from the garden. If you baked mulitple layers, raspberry jam in between would taste heavenly! This time I tried a combination of decorations, as shown in the photo collage and described below, just to give you some ideas.

Red Velvet Cake Made with Beets
(yields one 9″ round layer)

3/4 c pureed red beets  (I roasted 2 large fresh beets wrapped in foil at 350 for 45-60 min, but next time I will try cooking in my pressure cooker; drained canned beets would probably work fine too)
1/2 c coconut oil, softened
1/4 c milk
1/4 c lemon juice
1 t plain yogurt
1/2 t balsamic vinegar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 c honey
1 t vanilla extract

1 c flour (I used Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour plus 3/4 t xanthan gum)
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1/4 t ground cloves

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Allow the wet ingredients to get to room temperatures. Puree the beets in a food processor, measuring out 3/4 cup to use. (I used the leftover beets in my smoothies). CAUTION: red beets will stain, so I recommend doing your mixing in stainless steel or glass bowls, avoiding plastic and rubber utensils.

Add all the other wet ingredients to the pureed beets and mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until combined. Grease a 9" cake pan and line with parchment. Dump the batter into the pan (it's slightly thick) and smooth the top with a spatula.

Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick in the center of the center comes out clean, then turn off the oven and leave it in for another 10 minutes. Cool briefly in the pan, and remove to a wire rack to cool completely before icing or decorating.

MY DECORATIONS

Rather than slather on thick sugary frosting, I opted for 3 types of decorations, and had fun with them, using some red beet juice for coloring, which I had saved from the roasting beets process:

1) MERINGUE HEARTS AND "LOVE" LETTERS
I took the idea for meringue letters and hearts from Martha Stewart Living. I had never made meringue before, and I discovered it's quite easy. I resorted to using refined white sugar (I keep some on hand just for the hummingbirds' food), which I ground fine in my coffee grinder. Next time I'll experiment using honey instead. The recipe:  whisk 2 egg whites with 1/2 c fine sugar over warm water for 2-3 minutes. My small glass mix-master bowl fit in a 3-qt saucepan nicely. Add a pinch of salt and a pinch of cream of tartar. I also added a small amount of red beet juice. Remove from the heated water and whip with an electric mixer on high until stiff peaks form and the mixture has cooled - this took only about 3 minutes for me. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag and squeeze out hearts and letters onto a parchment lined pan. As you can see, I'm lacking in piping experience, especially when compared with Martha! Bake for 1 hour at 200 degrees, then leave them in the "off" oven to cool.
2) PINK COCONUT
I whirled some unsweetened dry organic coconut in my coffee grinder to make it fine. Then I mixed in some red beet juice, enough to make a strong magenta color. Sprinkled on the cake top, it looks like colored sugar.
3) WHITE CHOCOLATE STARS
I had thought I might drizzle white chocolate along the edges of the heart-shaped cake, so I melted a couple of squares of Ghiradelli premium white chocolate baking bar in a glass cut set in a pan of hot water. Even when melted, it was still thick. I added beet juice to color it, then added a little coconut oil to soften it. Coconut oil is liquid when heated, solid when cooled. This gave the chocolate enough consistency so I could spoon it into a piping bag with a star tip and make some little frilled stars around the cake top.
Get creative and let me know how you decorate your Red Velvet Beet Cake!


Happy Valentine's Day to you and your sweetie!

Valentine Chocolate Strawberry Bread

I bought a flat (12 pints) of fresh Florida strawberries and it inspired me to invent this recipe as a special Valentine breakfast bread. If you like dark chocolate, try this yummy, moist recipe, as quick bread or muffins.

• 1-3/4 c flour
• 1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 t ground cinnamon
• 2 t baking powder
• 1/2 t salt
• 1 c fresh strawberries, chopped into small pieces
• 1/2 c chopped nuts
• 1 c plain yogurt
• 1 t baking soda
• 1 egg
• 1/2 c oil
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1/2 c honey

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 3 mini loaf pans or a muffin tin for 1 dozen. Mix the first 5 dry ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in the berries and nuts to coat. In another bowl, stir yogurt and baking soda together and set aside - it will get foamy. In a third bowl, beat the egg and add the oil, vanilla, and honey. Fold together ingredients from all 3 bowls just until thoroughly mixed. Spoon mixture into prepared pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Chocolate Mousse

Several friends have asked for this delicious recipe, which has unusual and surprising ingredients. It must be blended very smooth, so a powerful blender like a Vitamix or Blendtec works best. I adapted this from a recipe in a blog by Zoe V, a raw foodie, with slight changes. Remember, ingredients in bright red are explained in more detail on the INGREDIENTS list in the right sidebar.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
1/2 c soy milk or other liquid*
3 ripe avocados, peel and pit discarded
1/3 c honey OR light agave nectar
2 T coconut oil
1 t balsamic vinegar
2 t vanilla extract
1/2 t ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
1/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder
A few drops of liquid stevia, optional
More liquid* as needed

* For the liquid, choose according to your taste; organic soy or almond milk, 100% cherry juice, water

Add all ingredients except the cocao powder in the blender and emulsify. Because the mixture is dry you may need to use the temper to push the ingredients toward the blades. Turn the blender off, scrape the sides into the mix, and add the cocao powder. Blend until well incorporated, adding additional liquid until it is very creamy. Eat like a pudding, use as a fruit dip, or spoon into a pie crust and top with whipped cream!

Try your own taste variations, like adding peppermint leaves or extract to the mix, adding instant coffee or a coffee-flavored powder like Roma, organic orange zest, or try stirring chopped dark chocolate chunks into the finished mousse.

NOTES: Coconut oil is very healthful, and will be solid unless your room temperature is quite hot, so liquify by heating gently if necessary - I submerge it in a measuring cup within a container of hot water for a few minutes. Avocado sizes vary, but the portion amount is not critical to the success of this recipe; avocados are also very healthful and creamy but they don't have strong flavor on their own, so they add great texture to this recipe. I like to use Rapunzel Organic Cocoa Powder. I use either "Ohgave" light organic agave nectar or honey gathered and processed by my friend and neighbor, Susan. For a slightly sweeter taste, I add a few drops of liquid stevia extract, which I create myself from stevia leaves I grow.