almonds Archives - The Recipe Rebel

No Churn Turtle Ice Cream

Easy No Churn Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Oreo Ice Cream Cake

No Churn Peanut Butter Oreo Ice Cream + Recipe VIDEO

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Rocky Road Ice Cream

This Rocky Road Ice Cream is rich, creamy, and delicious. It's made up of a rich, chocolate-y base loaded with mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, and chopped walnuts or almonds.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Cook Time 15

Churning and Freezing 4

Total Time 4 15

Servings servings

Calories 415cal

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

1½ cups heavy whipping cream
1½ cups whole milk
1 cup granulated sugar use more or less according to your tastes
4 egg yolks
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup mini marshmallows
½ cup mini chocolate chips
½ cup chopped walnuts or almonds

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Freeze ice cream maker bowl according to instructions.
Whisk together cream, milk, sugar, egg yolks, and cocoa in a large saucepan until smooth.
Place the pan on medium heat, and cook and whisk constantly until thickened. It will be noticeably thickened, but not thick like pudding. Stir in vanilla. Taste and adjust sweetness as desired.
Pour into a large glass measuring cup or bowl and press a piece of plastic wrap to the surface to keep a skin from forming.
Refrigerate until completely cold (you can speed this up by placing it in the freezer and stirring every 10 minutes).
Place in the ice cream maker and churn for 20 minutes or until a soft serve consistency. Add the marshmallows, chocolate chips and nuts in the last 5 minutes or churning or stir in by hand.
Pour into a glass loaf pan or baking dish and freeze until firm, about 4-6 hours.
I recommend letting sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before serving. Cover leftovers with plastic wrap and freeze up to 3 months.

Video

Notes

*For a richer ice cream, you can use 2 cups of cream and 1 cup of milk.

Leftovers:

Homemade ice cream will last in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Tips:

Use full fat ingredients. The higher the fat content, the creamier the ice cream.
You can speed up the refrigeration process by setting the ice cream base in the freezer instead. If you do this, be sure to stir every 10 minutes to keep the mixture smooth and creamy.
Before serving, let the ice cream sit for 5-10 minutes. This allows it to soften just a bit for a creamier consistency.

Nutrition

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Nanaimo Bars

Ashley Fehr — Fri, 06 Dec 2019 06:59:22 +0000

Nanaimo Bars are a classic Canadian no-bake bar cookie, made with a chocolate coconut base, creamy custard filling and chocolate ganache.

It’s been too many years that I’ve had this blog here and haven’t shared a Nanaimo Bar recipe, especially since Nanaimo Bars are one of my all time favorite Christmas desserts!

I have this No Bake Nanaimo Bar Cheesecake, which if you ask me, is all of the incredibly parts of a classic Nanaimo Bar plus cheesecake, so it really doesn’t get any better.

But sometimes you just need a smaller bite for a tray of goodies around the holidays, and you want a classic Canadian Nanaimo Bar. The perfect little bite!

If you’re doing some holiday baking (or no baking!) this year, be sure to add these Nanaimo Bars to your list!

And if you’re a mint chocolate lover like me? Try these No Bake Mint Chocolate Bars, which are essentially a mint version of a Nanaimo Bar.

What is a Nanaimo Bar?

A Nanaimo Bar is a classic Canadian treat that originated in Nanaimo, BC — hence the name!

Nanaimo Bars are the ultimate bite-sized treat:

a chewy, chocolatey base (no bake, but we do have to cook it on the stove!), made with graham cracker crumbs, shredded coconut, finely chopped almonds
a creamy custard filling made only with Bird’s Custard Powder (affiliate link) (you can cheat and use instant vanilla pudding mix but it won’t be the same!)
a thin layer of chocolate ganache

Tips for making the best Nanaimo Bars:

Use a pan with straight edges, and line with parchment paper or wax paper (since we won’t be baking them) so that you get perfectly even layers that come out of the pan without much trouble
Chill well before slicing, for even layers and clean edges
Use good quality chocolate for the top layer — because it’s going to taste like whatever you use! I prefer to buy a solid bar of dark chocolate instead of using chocolate chips
Find or order Bird’s Custard powder for the filling — it really is what makes this recipe unique!

Variations on this Nanaimo Bar recipe:

Add a teaspoon of mint extract and green food coloring to the filling for a mint Nanaimo Bar
Add a tablespoon or two of peanut butter to the filling for a peanut butter chocolate Nanaimo Bar
Add some cocoa powder or melted chocolate to the filling for a triple chocolate Nanaimo Bar
Add in 1/4-½ teaspoon of almond extract to the filling for a stronger almond presence
Add in some orange extract or zest and orange (or red and yellow) food coloring to the filling for a chocolate orange Nanaimo Bar
Have a little fun with it! Dream up some flavor combinations of your own 🙂

How to store Nanaimo Bars:

In the refrigerator:

Store in an airtight container up to 1 week in the refrigerator — if they last that long!

In the freezer:

Slice into squares and freeze in an airtight container, not quite touching, so that it’s easy to just grab a few when you’re hangry or when you need to fill out a holiday baking tray or tin.

They thaw quickly and are amazing straight out of the freezer!

More no bake bars and cookies you’ll love!

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Nanaimo Bars

Nanaimo Bars are a classic Canadian no-bake bar cookie, made with a chocolate coconut base, creamy custard filling and chocolate ganache.

Course Dessert

Cuisine canadian

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 5

Total Time 25

Servings bars

Calories 289.96cal

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

Crust

1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 beaten eggs
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup finely chopped almonds
2 cups shredded coconut

Filling

1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup Bird's custard powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups powdered icing sugar

Ganache

200 grams dark chocolate (about 1.5 cups chopped)
1/2 cup heavy cream

Instructions

Crust

In a large, deep pan, melt butter, sugar and cocoa together over medium heat, whisking often.
Remove from the heat and slowly whisk in eggs, beating constantly.
With a spatula, stir in graham crumbs, almonds and coconut.
Press firmly into a parchment-lined 9×13" pan — lining is optional but will make getting the bars out much easier!

Filling

In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.
Add in cream, custard powder and vanilla and beat until smooth.
Gradually add in powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
Spread filling evenly over crust and pop in the freezer while you make your ganache.

Ganache

In a small pot, melt chocolate and cream together on low heat, stirring frequently. Let cool for 10 minutes.
Remove bars from freezer and pour ganache evenly over bars, spreading into a thin even layer.
Place bars in the refrigerator to set completely before slicing, at least 4 hours.

Nutrition

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No Bake Nanaimo Bar Cheesecake Recipe + VIDEO

Ashley Fehr — Fri, 01 Nov 2019 06:21:59 +0000

This No Bake Nanaimo Bar Cheesecake has all of the familiar flavors of the classic Nanaimo bar but in an easy no bake cheesecake! The perfect Christmas dessert (but I won’t tell if you indulge year round!). Includes step by step recipe video.

Tips and Tricks for Making this No Bake Nanaimo Bar Cheesecake:
No Bake Nanaimo Bar Cheesecake Recipe + VIDEO Recipe

Happy December friends! I am continuing on my quest to turn all of my favorite Christmas treats into a cheesecake with this No Bake Nanaimo Bar Cheesecake — maybe my favorite so far (although this No Bake Peanut Butter Marshmallow Square Cheesecake is equally as delicious!).

Naniamo Bars are just one of my favorite classic Canadian treats (friends, we have some incredible eats up here!) and they originated in Nanaimo, B.C.. Makes sense, right??

For this cheesecake, I have borrowed the base for this cheesecake from the Nanaimo Bar recipe on Nanaimo’s web site, although I have simplified the method a little to suit my lazy girl baking style.

On top of that, we have a silky smooth no bake cheesecake, with a good amount of Bird’s Custard Powder (affiliate link) for that classic flavor. I honestly don’t even know what you would use for a substitute if you couldn’t find it — it’s so readily available here that it’s not an issue! I supposed you could swap it for an equal amount of instant vanilla pudding mix, just don’t tell any self-respecting Canadian you did so.

And on top of that? A silky smooth dark chocolate ganache.

If there is one dessert you need to make this holiday season, this is it friends. It comes together so easily and will totally wow your guests!

Tips and Tricks for Making this No Bake Nanaimo Bar Cheesecake:

If you can’t find Bird’s Custard Powder in stores, you can order it on Amazon here (and I get a few pennies for telling you that).
Let it chill overnight if you can, so that it is firm and slices perfectly!
Want to add a little garnish? Sprinkle some toasted coconut and almonds on top after pouring on the chocolate.

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No Bake Nanaimo Bar Cheesecake Recipe + VIDEO

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30

Total Time 30

Servings slices

Calories 624cal

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

Crust

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
4 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg beaten
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut unsweetened will work fine

Filling:

3 packages cream cheese (24 oz or 750 grams total) room temperature
1/2 cup Bird’s custard powder
1 cup heavy whipping cream 35%
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Ganache

3/4 cup finely chopped dark chocolate 1 100g bar
1/3 cup heavy cream

Instructions

CrustIn a large pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in sugar and cocoa.
Gradually whisk in egg, stirring constantly. The heat from the pan and the butter will cook the egg as you stir (no raw eggs!).
Stir in graham crumbs, almonds, and coconut until combined. Press firmly into a 9″ Springform pan.
Filling: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth.
Add custard powder, cream and sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Pour into Springform pan over crust and refrigerate to chill.
Ganache: In a medium microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate and cream in 15-20 second intervals, stirring well each time, until smooth (be careful NOT to overheat the chocolate or it will seize!) — I only had to do this twice.
Remove cheesecake from the fridge or freezer and pour over top, smoothing to the edges. Refrigerate until completely set, at least 5-6 hours, before serving. Refrigerate leftovers up to 3-4 days or freeze up to 3 months.

Video

Nutrition

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Easy Candied Nuts Recipe + VIDEO

Ashley Fehr — Wed, 07 Nov 2018 06:51:20 +0000

These Easy Candied Nuts are just 6 ingredients and less than 30 minutes start to finish! They are sweet and salty with a hint of cinnamon — perfect for an edible holiday gift!

How to make Candied Nuts:
How to store and freeze Candied Nuts:
How to customize this Candied Nuts recipe:
Easy Candied Nuts Recipe

I will admit, the last few years I haven’t really done a whole whack of Christmas baking and candy making and homemade gifts because, well, kids are crazy.

This year, we have a 1 year old, 3-almost 4 year old, and a 6 year old, and it’s busy. And I don’t like busy (you can ask anybody) — I’m an introvert big time and when I don’t have enough time to recuperate and refill, I start to feel a little crazy myself.

And so, I let go of the expectations that I will spend hours and hours baking and prepping and making edible gifts with cute labels for every person we see ever, and I don’t make homemade Christmas cards and I give myself a little leeway.

But I so badly want to make space for good, homemade treats, so for me this year is all about finding those easy recipes that are just as fun and delicious as the sugar cookies you have to spend 18 hours chilling and rolling and cutting and baking.

All that to say these Candied Nuts are on that list.

They are easy (really), with just 6 ingredients and super customizable.

They look cute in a small glass jar with a simple ribbon, which means minimal wrapping for you.

They are perfect for snacking or an appetizer or dessert, or even to top a salad.

They are gluten-free and vegetarian. Plus, nuts are full of healthy fats and protein

How to make Candied Nuts:

Making these Candied Nuts is relatively easy, as long as you have a thermometer. There are other methods but using a thermometer to check if the candy is ready by far the easiest.

Your best bet is to get a clip on candy thermometer like this one. Then you’re on your way to perfect candy coating!

Simply simmer the sugar and milk (I haven’t tried this recipe with non-dairy milk, so I can’t advise on that), until it reaches the correct temperature, stir in the flavorings (cinnamon, vanilla and salt – but you could mix this up if you wanted!), then stir in your nuts.

Feel free to mix up the nuts to suit your tastes — our favorite are almonds, cashews, walnuts, pecans and peanuts.

How to store and freeze Candied Nuts:

You can store these at room temperature in an air tight container (I love to keep them in mason jars as they look so pretty!) for up to 1 week.
To freeze, place in a large freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Eat them right out of the freezer or allow to thaw for 10-15 minutes on the counter.

How to customize this Candied Nuts recipe:

I mentioned a few options earlier, but here are some ideas to take this candied nuts recipe to the next level:

¼ teaspoon of salt will give it just the slightest hint of salt, ½ teaspoon will give it a more pronounced sweet/salty flavor.
Add in a pinch of cayenne for a bit of spice!
Use only your favorite nuts — there’s no reason you need to use a mix! If you love almonds, use just almonds, or pecans, or walnuts, etc.
Add more cinnamon, and a pinch of ginger, cloves and nutmeg for a fall spice blend — just start with a teeny tiny amount so you don’t overdo it!

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Easy Candied Nuts

These Easy Candied Nuts are just 6 ingredients and less than 30 minutes start to finish! They are sweet and salty with a hint of cinnamon — perfect for an edible holiday gift!

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings

Calories 189cal

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

1 cup granulated sugar 200g
6 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups mixed nuts almonds, pecans, brazil nuts, peanuts, cashews

Instructions

In a medium pan over medium heat, whisk together the sugar and milk and heat until boiling.
Without stirring (resist the urge to touch it!), let the mixture boil on medium heat until it reaches 242-248 degrees F or firm ball stage on a candy thermometer. This took about 10 minutes for me. You can also test it by dropping a small amount into a glass of very cold water — if it forms a firm but pliable ball, it’s ready.
Stir in cinnamon, vanilla and salt. Add nuts and stir until coated.
Spread onto a parchment lined baking sheet and separate or let harden in large chunks — whatever you prefer.
Let cool until candy coating is firm, then store in an air tight container for up to 1 week at room temperature, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Video

Notes

Recipe adapted from Company’s Coming.

Nutrition

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Tropical No Bake Energy Bites Recipe + VIDEO

Ashley Fehr — Thu, 23 Aug 2018 06:04:41 +0000

This Tropical No Bake Energy Bites recipe is perfect for back to school! Loaded with dried pineapple, mango, toasted coconut, oats, honey and coconut oil, it’s a healthy snack to keep you (and the kids!) going all day long. They’re freezer friendly and easy to make ahead. Includes step by step recipe video.

I don’t know about yours, but my kids love no bake energy bites. We are borderline obsessed.

I love them because they are easy to make and you really don’t even need a recipe. I just pick a theme (this time — tropical flavors!), grab some healthy ingredients from the pantry (some for glue — dried fruits, honey, nut butters, coconut oil, some for filler — oats, nuts, other dry ingredients).

We throw everything into the food processor and let it go. Then we roll it into balls, and snack on them all week long. They keep the 4:00 hanger away!

These literally take me about 15 minutes from start to finish and I love that we have a healthy snack that we can grab and go on our way out the door. Something other than store bough granola bars!

So far on The Recipe Rebel, we have these Lemon Blueberry Energy Bites and these Chocolate Hazelnut Energy Bites. But these…. they might just be our favorite of the three.

I was walking through Wal Mart one day when I saw the bags of dried pineapple were just $2 (this is the regular price!), I grabbed one for the purpose of making a pina colada energy bite, only to discover that there were a few of those already out there.

The second time, I added some dried mango and we love them. The flavours are so bright and fruity, and different from a peanut butter based energy bite!

How to make Tropical No Bake Energy Bites:

You need two types of ingredients: glue and filler. As far as what you add? You can mix it up! Try adding different dried fruits, different nuts, or other seeds or oils for a unique combination all your own.
Do a test run. When you grab and squeeze some in your hand, does it hold together? If not, add a little more oil or dried fruit.
Make a big batch. They freeze perfectly and I find that grab and go snacks like this don’t last long with the kiddos!
Look for unsweetened fruit. Ideally you want to control the added sugar, and using unsweetened dried fruit is the best way to do that. It can be tough to find though, so feel free to start with 1 tablespoon of honey if your fruit is already sweetened.
Add more protein: if you want to give these energy bites a boost of protein, add a scoop or two of vanilla or unflavored protein powder. You can also add chai seeds or additional nuts.

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Tropical No Bake Energy Bites

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Total Time 15

Servings bites

Calories 84cal

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

1/4 cup coconut oil solid at room temperature
2 tablesooons liquid honey
1/2 cup dried mango
1/2 cup dried pineapple
1 cup instant or rolled oats
1/2 cup toasted coconut
1/2 cup almonds
2 tablespoons ground flax

Instructions

Add the coconut oil, honey, mango and pineapple to a food processor, followed by the remaining ingredients (you want the wet ingredients on the bottom).
Process until smooth, and roll tightly into 1″ balls.
Place in an airtight container or in the refrigerator to set (the coconut oil will return to a solid state).
Store at room temperature for 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Video

Nutrition

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Chocolate Explosion (Boston Pizza Copycat)

Ashley Fehr — Wed, 26 Oct 2016 06:02:15 +0000

Sometimes you just need a mountain of chocolate! This Chocolate Explosion has rich chocolate mousse piled high on an Oreo crust, filled with chunks of vanilla cheesecake, Oreos, nuts, toffee bits — truly indulgent!

(*avoids eye contact*)

Yeah….. so… I like chocolate.

I feel like this is an embarrassing amount of chocolate, but even so — I’m not sorry about it. This is one of those things you make on a special occasion.

Correction: this is one of those things you should only make on a special occasion, but you’re bound to be finding a lot more “special occasions” with this in your back pocket.

American friends: do you know the Chocolate Explosion from Boston Pizza?

All this time, I thought Boston Pizza was a Canadian and American thing, but when I went to do my research for this post, I found only “Boston’s” in the U.S., which seemed to be the American version, but when I checked out their menu, they had only boring, ordinary desserts like “Apple Crisp”.

As much as I love apple crisp, it is no match for the Boston Pizza Chocolate Explosion. And you shouldn’t have to live without it.

I was really debating doing this on a brownie crust, and while that would be amazing, I felt it was a little more effort than I was willing to put in, especially since there are a few parts to the dessert to begin with.

Also, when I looked at the Boston Pizza menu I noticed in the pictures that the cheesecake was baked on a chocolate crust. But I figured that was also too much effort, considering it’s smothered in chocolate mousse and those 8 Oreo crumbs you’re going to get aren’t really going to make it taste any different.

If you want to make this even easier (and no bake!) simply skip the baking of the crust (I baked mine because I like how it holds up nicely), and use a plain, store-bought vanilla cheesecake. No one will know the difference and you will still be the star of the show at the holiday gathering/birthday party/staff lunchroom.

Pinky promise.

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Chocolate Explosion (Boston Pizza Copycat)

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 25

Total Time 1 25

Servings

Calories 650cal

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

Cheesecake

16 oz cream cheese (I used light) 2 packages
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs

Crust

3 tablespoons butter melted
300 gram package Oreos (about 22 cookies)

Mousse

3 cups heavy whipping cream
300 g finely chopped chocolate just over 10 oz
2 packages unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
1/3 cup powdered icing sugar
6 Oreos crushed

Garnish

slivered toasted almonds
toffee bits
crushed Oreos

Instructions

Cheesecake:Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line an 8×8″ pan with tin foil or parchment paper.
Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add in sugar, vanilla and eggs and beat until smooth.
Spread into prepared pan and bake for 23-25 minutes, until top is just set (may still have a slight jiggle to it, but will look dry on top). Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature before covering and refrigerating until cold.
CrustIn a food processor, combine butter and 300g Oreo cookies and process until smooth.
Press firmly into the bottom and 1″ up the sides of a 9″ Springform pan (or another 9″ pan — a pie plate would work!). Set aside (refrigerate if overnight).
Mousse:In a large bowl, melt together cream and chocolate in a microwave (start with 1 minute on high, then do 30 second intervals until melted, stirring each time). Place in the refrigerator until completely chilled (the cream won’t whip unless it is very cold! Be patient).
In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over cold water and let sit 1 minute. Microwave on high for 15-20 seconds and whisk until gelatin dissolves. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Whip cream until soft peaks form, add in the sugar and gelatin gradually, whipping until stiff peaks form.
Fold in crushed Oreos and chopped cheesecake and spread into crust. Garnish with almonds, toffee bits, and Oreos as desired. Refrigerate at least 5-6 hours or overnight, until chilled and totally set.

Notes

This dessert is most easily made over the course of 2-3 days, which means it’s great for making ahead! Make the cheesecake one day, because it needs to be cold. You could also melt the chocolate and whipping cream this day because it needs to be completely chilled to whip. Then make the crust, mousse and finish the dessert on the second day, and chill for a few hours or overnight. Of course, you can always speed this up by cubing and chilling the cheesecake in the freezer!

Nutrition

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Almond Joy Brownies

Ashley Fehr — Wed, 05 Oct 2016 06:54:10 +0000

These Almond Joy Brownies have a thin, fudgy brownie layer and are topped with a creamy coconut filling, almonds and a layer of chocolate! They are an easy treat for the holidays!

Almond Joy has always been a favorite chocolate bar for both the hubs and I. We disagree on our share of things, but generally dessert is not one of them.

We just love coconut! And, obviously, anything with chocolate.

This recipe is from my friend Aimee Berrett’s new cookbook 50 Fixes for Brownie Mixes, which is FULL of all things brownie. Clearly going to be a new favorite of mine!

Most of the time, I try to make things from scratch but there are always those times when you just need to bake something and quick. Maybe a child forgot to mention an upcoming bake sale? Last minute company? A chocolate craving you need to satisfy now? These recipes are perfect for those times! I have since updated this recipe to include one of my favorite from scratch brownie recipes, but a boxed mix works just as well in a pinch!

They are simple and yet totally decadent.

I went right to the Almond Joy Brownies (because, again, we love coconut!), and I think I was so excited to try them that I forgot to put the almonds on top of the coconut. I was so bummed, but I didn’t want to add them on top of the chocolate so I just left them out.

And then I added them all around the brownies in the pictures to serve as a reminder for next time.

But seriously? I am the worst at following recipes (hence “The Recipe Rebel”) and it’s not even something I do on purpose necessarily. I get so caught up in the melty chocolate that I forget all of the previous steps!

If you enjoy this recipe as much as we do, I’m sure you’ll love all the recipes from Aimee’s book — be sure to grab a copy for those new bakers and chocolate lovers on your Christmas list!

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Almond Joy Brownies

These Almond Joy Brownies have a thin, fudgy brownie layer and are topped with a creamy coconut filling, almonds and a layer of chocolate! They are an easy treat for the holidays!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 463cal

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

Brownies

1 cup butter melted
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Topping

3 cups shredded coconut sweetened or unsweetened
300 ml can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup almonds
1 cup chocolate chips
3 tablespoons butter

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13″ pan with parchment and grease lightly.
In a large mixing bowl combine butter and sugar and whisk until combined. Whisk in eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla.
Add the cocoa, flour, salt and baking powder and whisk just until combined.
Spread into prepared pan and bake for 25-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted near the middle comes out clean or with moist crumbs.
Remove from oven and cool completely.
In a medium bowl, combine coconut, sweetened condensed milk, and powdered sugar. Use a wet spatula or wet fingers to spread coconut mixture over browns. Place almonds evenly over coconut mixture (
Melt chocolate chips and butter in a small bowl in the microwave in 20 second increments, stirring each time until smooth. It should take 40-60 seconds total.
Pour chocolate over coconut layer and spread evenly. Allow to set completely before slicing — place in the fridge to chill even quicker!

Nutrition

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Lemon Blueberry Energy Bites

Ashley Fehr — Wed, 07 Sep 2016 06:28:51 +0000

These Lemon Blueberry Energy Bites are an easy, no bake snack that’s perfect for back to school or summer road trips! Just a few ingredients and they’re gluten free with paleo and vegan options, and you can press them into a pan to make granola bars!

Friends, this is my first foray into the world of energy bites.

Not just the first time I’ve developed my own energy bite recipe, but the first time I’ve ever made energy bites. And now I’m wondering why it took me so long.

I developed this recipe in the middle of summer, when the girls are outside pretty much 100% of the time they’re not in their beds sleeping. They’re ~~hungry~~ ravenous all the time, and I just don’t always feel like making them a snack on the go. I also know that you guys love lemon and blueberry so I was pretty sure this combo would be a hit!

I’m embarrassed that it took me this long to make some energy bites.

The girls love these homemade granola bars, so I knew these would be a hit. I love that I can make them into perfect little bite sized pieces for either the 1 year old or 4 year old. Throw them in a container and you’re good to go!

I can tell you that these will absolutely be a staple from here on out. Summer, Fall, Winter — it doesn’t matter! They love lemon and any dried fruit, and they just love snacking in general.

And plus, while I was trying to finish up my video and get some photos, my 18 month old had climbed onto a chair and was cleaning the food processor bowl out with her fingers. I take that as a good sign!

A few notes:

You’ll want to make these in a food processor. I have a Cuisinart and it works perfectly for me! The food processor turns the almonds into more of a paste. If you don’t have a food processor, try starting with almond butter instead and mixing them up in a bowl.
I love to buy a great big bag of almonds at once to keep on handy for snacks like this — it’s cheaper than buying a teeny little bag every time you need some! I keep my nuts fresh by storing them in the freezer.
Be sure to store them in an air tight container in the fridge — they will stay fresher for much longer! I like to store them in these little snack containers so they’re ready to grab and go!

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Lemon Blueberry Energy Bites

These Lemon Blueberry Energy Bites are an easy, no bake snack that’s perfect for back to school or summer road trips! Just a few ingredients and they’re gluten free and with paleo and vegan options.

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Total Time 15

Servings bites

Calories 76cal

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

1 cup sliced almonds
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup honey
1 1/4 cups quick cooking oats or use large for more texture – gluten-free if necessary
1/2 cup dried blueberries

Instructions

In a food processor, process almonds, lemon zest, juice and honey until smooth (this can take a few minutes).
Add in half of the oats and process again until smooth.
Move mixture to a bowl and stir in remaining oats and blueberries. Stir until combined — you may need to use your hands as they can be pretty sticky!
Store in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks or freeze for up to 6 months.
*To mix things up and add more protein, trying swapping ¼ cup of the oats for chia seeds, hemp seeds or ground flax.

Notes

*VEGAN and PALEO: substitute the honey with a vegan liquid sweetener, such as maple syrup or agave nectar. I chose honey because we always have it and it has a neutral flavor, unlike maple syrup.

Nutrition

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Valentine’s Day Chocolate Lollipops: 10 Ways

Ashley Fehr — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 06:34:54 +0000

These Valentine’s Day Chocolate Lollipops are an easy treat to make and attach to those valentine’s — and so easy to customize the design and toppings to your taste!

I know I’ve mentioned this before, but I’ve never really been into cutesy foods much.

I think the reason for that is likely because when you’re a single adult, you don’t really have anyone to make those cute treats for whose eyes are going to light up like a 2 or 3 year old’s will (I mean, my husband’s eyes light up when I give him chocolate but it’s definitely not because of the cute design!).

The more I make these fun treats (like these Christmas Tree Cookies and this Snowman Cheese Ball) and see how much you love them, and my 3 year old loves them, the more fun I have making them!

And while I thought about making a chocolate Valentine’s Day version of these No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Pinwheels (and you easily could!) because of how crazy some people went over them, I decided I wanted to try something new, and maybe a little less finicky (not that the pinwheels are difficult, but the fudge does need to be at just the right temperature to roll easily).

It turns out I wasn’t that good at the cutesy designs anyways (see those two hearts? That’s about all I got), but the topping combinations?? Now those I can get creative with.

You can really make these chocolate lollipops anyway you want, in any shape you want, in any color you want, with any toppings you want. The only thing you need to do is to melt the chocolate over a double burner (this is the easiest way to get it perfectly smooth without having to dilute it with cream or butter — you want to stick with straight chocolate so that it will set completely and stay firm at room temperature), make a puddle, and stick the lollipop stick in before it’s set. Then decorate as desired!

This is how I set up my “double boiler” — you just need about an inch of simmering water under a heatproof bowl. Make sure the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl, and add your chocolate in the top. Heat over medium heat until the chocolate is melted and smooth.

You can color the white chocolate pink or red with food coloring, or use colored chocolate wafers if you prefer. The wafers are usually flavored vanilla, while white chocolate obviously has a different flavor. Choose whichever you like best! If you’re using food coloring, be sure to use the gel instead of liquid because you don’t want your chocolate diluted.

You really can make these for any holiday — green and red for Christmas, add some candy canes, or pastels for Easter, or use any coloring for a birthday party theme.

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Valentine’s Day Chocolate Lollipops

These Valentine’s Day Chocolate Lollipops are an easy treat to make and attach to those valentine’s — and so easy to customize the design and toppings to your taste!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 5

Total Time 15

Servings lollipops

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

2 cups chocolate white, milk, semisweet or dark chocolate
lollipop sticks

S’mores Toppings (chocolate and white chocolate):

Crushed graham crackers
mini marshmallow bits

Toffee Almond:

slivered almonds
toffee bits

Almond Joy:

toasted coconut
slivered almonds

Sprinkled:

Sprinkles duh

Hearts:

Red and purple candy melts melted

M&M Heart:

Mini M&M’s

Cookies ‘n’ Cream:

crushed Oreos

Chocolate Oreo:

crushed Oreos

Cranberry Almond:

slivered almonds
dried cranberries

Instructions

In the top of a double boiler, melt chocolate over medium heat until smooth.
Pour into a piping bag or large freezer bag (you can do this step with a spoon, but I think piping it into a circle or “glob” is easier). Snip the end off so you have about a ½” opening.
On a baking sheet lined with wax paper, pipe “globs” about 1.5″ in diameter. Insert lollipop sticks into the chocolate, then lightly bang the baking sheet on the table a few times to flatten the chocolate a bit.
Add your toppings as desired. If you’re wanting to write on the lollipops with other colors, you may want to pop them in the freezer for 5 minutes to firm them up.
Set in the refrigerator or freezer, then stack in an airtight container or place in small cellophane treat bags and tie with a ribbon as pictured.

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New Years Almond Pound Cake (Good Luck Cake)

Ashley Fehr — Mon, 14 Dec 2015 06:18:51 +0000

A rich, moist Almond Pound Cake that’s made better for you with yogurt! A fun New Years dessert with one whole almond baked in — whoever gets the almond will have one year good luck!

The first time I made this, I failed miserably.

I had gotten the recipe from a cookbook, and it just did not turn out. I’m not going to deny that part of the reason is my occasional inability to follow instructions. But the other part of the reason is that it was not a great recipe.

So I went to Pinterest (obviously) and was on the hunt for an Almond Pound Cake recipe. I knew I wanted to use a pound cake base because (even though I’ve technically never made a pound cake) I wanted something somewhat dense, but still rich and moist. I wanted beautiful, luscious slices of cake.

I found a great base recipe, but I wanted to lighten it up (I mean, after the Cranberry Chocolate Chunk Blondies and the Apple Crisp Cinnamon Buns and the Brown Sugar Pecan Cookies….) . I used low fat Greek yogurt in place of the cream cheese (for less fat and a boost of protein!). I added some almond extract, and some sliced almonds in the pan before adding the batter.

And then I crossed my fingers.

It may or may not have been the finger crossing, but the cake came out of the oven perfectly moist and luscious (it’s just the word that comes to mind with a pound cake, right?).

One of the best parts of this Almond Pound Cake is the single whole almond baked inside. After you pour the batter into the pan, you press in one whole almond. You serve it up at your New Years party, and whoever gets the slice with the whole almond inside will have one year good luck!

I mean, not really. But it is so fun, right?

As I was putting this cake into the oven, I actually had forgotten to put the almond in. I could have just let it bake, and you really would never know if there was one whole almond or not. But the anticipation of who will get the almond is just too much fun — I couldn’t resist! So I quickly pulled it out of the oven and slid the almond into the batter.

We haven’t gotten that far into the cake yet (there are only 2 of us who eat cake!), so I can’t even tell you if it’s going to be me or not

I think this is such a fun idea to do with any dessert, even cupcakes! Pop a whole almond in one and see where it turns up. And a healthier but still delicious dessert is the perfect way to kick off a New Year, don’t you think?

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New Years Almond Pound Cake (Good Luck Cake)

A rich, moist Almond Pound Cake that’s made better for you with yogurt and reduced sugar! A fun New Years dessert with one whole almond baked in — whoever gets the almond will have one year good luck!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1 5

Servings slices

Calories 337cal

Author Ashley Fehr

Ingredients

1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 cup butter room temperature
1 cup low fat plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
2 cups granulated sugar
6 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Optional: whipped cream to serve

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and grease a bundt pan well with non stick spray. Sprinkle slivered almonds in the bottom and on the sides of the bundt pan (you can use the spray to keep the almonds on the sides if you want). Set aside.
In a large bowl with an electric or stand mixer, beat butter until smooth and creamy (I used my whisk attachment for the whole recipe, but you can use a regular beater too). Add yogurt and beat until combined. Add the sugar and beat until combined.
With the mixer on low, add eggs one at a time, beating until combined. Add extracts and beat until combined.
Add the flour, baking powder and salt and mix on low speed just until combined. Pour into prepared bundt pan and bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Let cool in pan for 10-15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool to room temperature. Serve with whipped cream and toasted almonds if desired.

Nutrition

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