Marisa's Healthy Kitchen » chocolate

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies

marisashealthykitchen — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:37:27 +0000

Of course I love all things veggie but sometimes and for some people you have to sneak them in there. So this is a great dessert recipe that also has a bunch of zucchini hidden inside These taste just like chocolate chip cookies – YUM – but with a great added bonus! I am sure by the time my little kiddos are ready to eat cookies they will already be super veggie lovers, but I still think, why not have the extra fiber and veggies in there

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 1/2 dozen cookies

Wet Ingredients
1 Ener-G Egg Replacer
1/2 cup earth balance
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup agave
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
1 cup white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg

1-2 cup finely shredded zucchini (I like to use more, as it is a great way to sneak a veggie into a dessert!)
12 oz chocolate chips..vegan

Pre-heat oven to 350 Degrees.
Combine wet ingredients in a medium sized bowl.
Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Combine zucchini and chocolate chips into the wet ingredients and blend well.
Mix all ingredients together and mix well.
Drop by spoonful (I love to use a small ice cream scooper) onto greased baking sheet or silicon baking sheet, and flatten with the back of a spoon.
Bake for 13- 15 minutes.
Cool on a rack and enjoy!

Marisa’s Babies Blessing Party

marisashealthykitchen — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 02:56:13 +0000

Candle 79 is one of the best restaurants ever as far as I am concerned! It’s on the UES so a bit of a hike for us, but makes the ultimate date night spot. Romantic, Cozy and deelish!! Check out my review from 2009.

But I went there for a very different reason recently. I had my fabulous Babies Blessing Brunch Party there. SO much fun, a bunch of beautiful girlfriends and the best food to celebrate the almost arrival of our little kiddos Benay, the manager, was amazing in helping me set up this event and everything went super smooth. The food of course was deelish!

My mom made fabulous favors: Super cute planters all prepped with organic soil and seeds and a super cute flower on top So perfect!!

Thanks ladies! Such a great day to celebrate!!!

We had a great menu!

APPETIZERS

Guacamole Timbale
chipotle black beans, caramelized onions, cucumber-jicama salsa, tortilla chips, ranchero sauce

Steamed Dumplings
seitan, shiitake mushrooms, baby bok choy, sesame-soy-ginger sauce
Angel’s Nachos

corn chips, mozzarella, tomatoes, refried pinto beans, chili-grilled seitan, guacamole, salsa, tofu sour cream, romaine lettuce

ENTRÉE

Stuffed Avocado Salad
baby greens, quinoa, zucchini, cucumber, radishes, black beans, toasted pumpkin seeds, grape tomatoes, chipotle-avocado dressing

Black Bean-Pumpkin Seed Burger
mixed lettuces, avocado, polenta fries, chipotle ketchup

Home-Style Pancakes
seasonal fruit, cranberry butter, gingered maple syrup

Wild Mushroom-Squash Risotto
cashew cream, pumpkin seeds, fresh herbs, frizzled leeks

Seitan Picatta
creamed spinach, grilled potato cake, oyster mushrooms, lemon-caper sauce

Check out my version of this famous dish

and then Dessert

Live Sweet Potato Parfait
nut granola, huckleberry ice cream

Cannoli
vanilla cream filling, coconut-chocolate chip ice cream, chocolate sauce

Apple Cranberry Pie
toasted oat crumble, french vanilla ice cream, berry
coulis, candied almonds

There were lots of fabulous beverages going around. I was super happy to have ordered the Coconut-Mint Frappe avocado, coconut water, agave, mint, lime. AMAZING!! I have been craving this drink ever since!

Vegan Peanut Butter Mousse

marisashealthykitchen — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 02:41:57 +0000

Addictive does not even describe how good this is! You are lucky if it makes it out of the blender to serve. Have fun with this and change up the toppings or get super creative and make a pudding pie or cake with the mousse.

This one is so super easy to whip up but be careful, not sure we should have mousse EVERY day ENJOY!

Vegan Peanut Butter Mousse

1 cup peanut butter
16 oz firm silken tofu (not the vacuum packed kind – I used Nasoya)
1/2 cup agave
1/2 cup vegan cream cheese
1 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

Blend tofu and peanut butter in blender or food processor until smooth. Add cream cheese and blend more, scraping down the sides. Add agave and vanilla and blend again.

Assemble with toppings or just enjoy alone (maybe even straight out of the blender )

Toppings Ideas

bananas
strawberries
other fruit
granola
banana bread crumbles
chocolate chips

Yummy Protein Goo Ball Bites

marisashealthykitchen — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 02:43:14 +0000

I have been doing my best to get as much protein as possible lately. (Thank goodness for Brendan Brazier’s Vega Bars!) I have made many versions of this snack throughout my life, but never added protein powder before and it really was such a perfect addition! I made both vanilla and chocolate versions to enjoy Awesome!

These were so super fast to whip up and even faster to eat haha so make sure you make some extra for the perfect on the go snacks.

Yummy Protein Goo Ball Bites

Chocolate Version

1 scoop chocolate protein powder (as I mentioned above – I love Brendan Brazier’s products from Vega and his Shake & Go Smoothie Chocolate is amazing!!!!)
2 tablespoons Artisana coconut butter (this is the best stuff ever!)
2 teaspoons honey or agave
1 heaping teaspoon organic peanut butter (or other nut butter)
1/2 cup unsweetened dried shredded coconut
1/4 cup light coconut milk

Vanilla Version

1 scoop vanilla protein powder (my absolute favorite vanilla powder - Life Time Lifes Basics Plant Protein)
2 tablespoons Artisana coconut butter
2 teaspoons honey or agave
1 heaping teaspoon organic peanut butter (or other nut butter)
1/2 cup unsweetened dried shredded coconut
1/4 cup light coconut milk

Combine all ingredients. You might need a little more protein powder or coconut if too wet or some coconut milk if too dry. Roll into balls in your hands.

Optional add ons:

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
Extra shredded coconut

Melt chocolate over a double boiler and dip the bites in the bowl. Then sprinkle coconut over and freeze until firm.

Vegan Fudge: Soy, Tree Nut, & Gluten Free

marisashealthykitchen — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 20:35:51 +0000

Thanks so much Averie for this recipe! OMG! This one “magically” dissappeared fast out of the fridge over the week. I don’t normally make these kind of desserts to keep in the house, but it was Birthday Week so I thought we could have this special treat. SO good, So fast (to make AND to eat!!). YUM!!!!!! It’s rich, decadent, fudgy, wonderful.

Vegan Fudge–Soy, Tree Nut, & Gluten Free; and a 10 Minute Recipe
Recipe from Averie

1 Cup Vegan/Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 box Confectioner’s Sugar
1/2 Cup Cocoa Powder
2 Tablespoons Dairy-Free Margarine (Earth Balance)
1/2 Cup Regular Coconut Milk *DO NOT USE LIGHT Coconut Milk*
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

In a large bowl, combine the chocolate chips, sugar, and cocoa.
Separately, place the margarine and coconut milk in a small saucepan, and stir together over medium heat.
Cook the mixture until the margarine has melted, and bubbles just begin to break at the surface.
Remove it from the stove, and immediately pour the liquid over the dry chocolate & sugar mixture.
Let everything sit for a couple of minutes (and if you wait too long and it hardens up on you, feel free to nuke it for 15 seconds at a time or until melty), and then stir vigorously to melt the chocolate and incorporate the dry ingredients.
Continue stirring until a completely smooth mixture forms.
Mix in the vanilla, and quickly pour everything into your prepared pan, a lightly greased or cooking-sprayed 8×8 pan (or another similar size)
Let cool completely before cutting into squares.

I'm surprised any of this made it into the pan It was so good! The ultimate spoon licking dessert!!

Ready to Chill

Vegan Dessert Bars

marisashealthykitchen — Tue, 31 May 2011 02:56:14 +0000

These are amazing! I have been making and impressing people for years with them!!! And we all know that I rarely repeat a recipe so these must be amazing hahah

Vegan Blondies / Dessert Bars
25 squares-ish

1 5/8 sticks of Earth Balance, melted (Love that they make the sticks of Earth Balance!!)
1 pound light brown sugar
3 vegan egg replacer
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 3/4 cups white flour
2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts (I use half pecans and half walnuts)
1 12 ounce bag vegan chocolate chips

In a bowl, combine melted Earth Balance and brown sugar. Let cool.
Pre-heat oven to 350F.
Add the egg replacer and the vanilla, mix well.
In another bowl, add the dry ingredients together, mix and then add to the liquid mixture. Mix everything thoroughly.
Spread into a greased 13″x9″ pan.
Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool and cut into squares, and enjoy!!!

All Gone!!

My 30th Birthday!

marisashealthykitchen — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 02:52:31 +0000

I LOVE Birthdays and I turned 30 last week! SO of course a fun reason to celebrate!

On Friday Night we celebrated at Friday Night Yoga Social! FNYS is an AMAZING class I teach with two unbelievable, inspiring and beautiful teachers and friends; Mimi and Angie. It was so perfect to be able to celebrate with many of our students and friends, such a special night as always! If you are ever in NYC on a Friday Night, come to our fun class!!

Saturday was more fun party time And of course since this was my party, there had to be yummy vegan food!

Terri’s delivered their SUPER YUMMY sandwiches. Michael and I LOVE all their Vegan sandwiches but seem to never get enough of the Vegan Bacon Cheddar Chicken Ranch sandwiches. See my review here from when they first opened. It was great to see all these non-vegans Loving these scrumptious sandwiches too, always fun of course! Sorry, I didn’t take any pictures. But go there yourself and try these sandwiches out, so good!

I also had a crudité platter from Whole Foods. Of course a crudité platter would not normally get a honorable mention but this one was special because it had a super yummy Vegan Caramelized Onion Dip. The catering guy at Whole Foods Union Square, Mark, was Super awesome and so helpful! We went around the whole store to score the best vegan dip for the platter. Perfection!

I love my sweets and since it was a birthday party, there had to be a cake and then of course some more desserts I brought the deelish vegan brownie bites, chocolate chip cookies and oatmeal raisin cookies from BabyCakes. And the cake, oh the cake…. one of our faves, Chocolate Peanut Butter Bomb Cake from Vegan Treats… we bought it at Atlas since Vegan Treats is in PA, but they sell their AMAZING cakes and treats all over the city so thank goodness not hard to come up with. (pic below)

Then on another night Michael took me to Pure Food & Wine to celebrate just the two of us YUM!! And of course this meal had to end with the amazing Mint Sundae. (pic below)

Thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate with me and who sent Birthday Wishes!! Lots of love all around!!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bomb Cake

Ugh Oh! This is a dangerous cake to have leftovers of! YUM!!

Mint Sundae from Pure Food & Wine

5 minute Tofu Chocolate Pudding & Whipped Cream Pie

marisashealthykitchen — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 13:36:32 +0000

Recently I needed a fast dessert to bring to a party. I didn’t really have time to make something, and not that there is anything wrong with buying something to bring, it just really isn’t me. So I needed to improvise My mom had recently sent me a 5 minute recipe for a Tofu Dream Pudding. (Thanks Mom!) I figured why not use this recipe to make a quick pie.

The pudding was incredible!!! We could have just eaten this on its own but it was super deelish as a pie filling as well.

It is easier to slice when frozen, but even more deelish when defrosted!

Tofu chocolate Pudding & Whipped Cream Pie

Pudding
Recipe adapted from food.com

2 boxes of firm silken tofu (the asceptic type…One brand is Mori-Nu…not the water packed kind!)
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 teaspoons almond extract
2/3 cup cocoa powder (good quality)

Simply blend tofu, cocoa, sugar, vanilla in a food processor or blender until smooth and well blended.
Add the almond extract in a little at a time, and adjust to taste. (optional)

Pie

vegan pie shell (I chose chocolate…see picture below)
vegan whip cream (I used Soyatoo Soy whipped cream and was not so impressed, buy Hip Whip instead)
chocolate bar

Pour pudding into pie shell
Decorate with whipped topping and then grate chocolate over it.
Either serve immediately or freeze. (freezing made it perfect for travel! But it tastes best defrosted)

Pie Shell

Just the pudding in the pieshell

The pudding was amazing just on its own!

Raw Fudge Brownies with frosting

marisashealthykitchen — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 03:31:23 +0000

The fudge brownies are delicious! The frosting on top really added to how yummy they were. It gave the brownies 2 different textures, awesome! I love how amazing raw desserts can be. Make a batch of these and keep them in the fridge. All you need is little slices, just a taste is enough. These will stay great for over a week.

Raw Fudge Brownies
adapted from Raw Lou Lou

1 Tablespoon melted cacao butter
2 Tablespoons cacao nibs
2 Tablespoons cacao powder
1/2 teaspoon hemp protein powder
1 Tablespoon carob powder
1 cup soaked macadamia nuts
2 Tablespoons ground flax seeds
1 handful goji berries
2 Tablespoons almond nut butter
1 Tablespoon coconut oil
1 1/2 Tablespoons agave
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Blend all of the above in a Vitamix or a food processor. Press into a loaf baking pan and set in fridge.
Chocolate Frosting
1 avocado
1 Tablespoon agave
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon cacao powder
Blend all of the above together and spread on top of the fudge brownie mix and leave to set in the fridge. Enjoy!

Before Frosting

with the yummy frosting!

Chocolate Banana Oatmeal Cookies

marisashealthykitchen — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 03:47:56 +0000

One of my fabulous readers, Kim sent me this deelish cookie recipe! They came out so great! Plus these were super simple and fast to make. This is a recipe you can whip up any time in no time

I ended up quadrupling the recipe to bring to Prema & Alex’s engagement party. I never even mentioned they were vegan and all the boys couldn’t get at them fast enough. Always so nice to see that! Some people hear that something is vegan and are immediately turned off. Have them taste them first and then let them know just how amazing vegan food can be! YUM!

Thanks Kim!!!

Chocolate Banana Oatmeal Cookies
Prep: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Makes 16 cookies
Recipe from Susan Sarandon (love her!!)

1 cup oat flour (I use half white flour and half whole wheat flour)
¾ cup old fashioned rolled oats
½ teaspoon baking powder
1/3 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup raw sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup plain soy milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ banana, cut into small pieces (I mash them, it makes the cookies more moist)
¼ cup walnuts (optional), chopped
1/3 semisweet chocolate chips (dark chocolate tastes good as well)

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine first 5 ingredients (up until sugar) in a bowl. Whisk together oil, soy milk, and vanilla in a separate bowl. Add wet mixture to dry ingredients; stir to combine. Fold in banana, walnuts, and chocolate chips.

Line baking sheet with parchment paper or grease the pan. Scoop dough onto pan. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown, turning baking sheet halfway through. Let cool and enjoy.

For a healthier cookie:
Honey, or agave syrup can be used to replace sugar. Dried fruits or nuts can be used in place of chocolate chips as well.