Paleo Vegan Pumpkin Pie Balls

After a long hiatus...I'm back!  I apologize for falling off the radar, but the last several months have been jam packed, and I've forgone trying many new recipes - sticking, instead, to my "old faithfuls" for the sake of convenience.

Alas, I've been really missing experimenting in the kitchen and sharing new, yummy recipes with you guys as of late! Fall is my favorite time of the year for many reasons (amazing weather, comfy layers, holidays & family time...just to name a few), but one HUGE reason is the "flavors" of fall.  And it probably won't surprise you that, of those flavors, pumpkin is way up there on my list of favorites. In the last couple weeks alone, I've made pumpkin muffins, pumpkin pancakes, and, of course, these Pumpkin Pie Balls (twice!).

These little guys are just delightful...the perfect little pumpkin pie flavored, cakey bite. AND they're easy! You could definitely have them as a sweet addition to your breakfast, or like my husband and I have been doing, enjoy them as a treat after dinner :)  I made another batch for us again yesterday, and this time I added chocolate chips to the mix...because everything's better with chocolate, no?!

Paleo Vegan Pumpkin Pie Balls

Recipe yields 18-20 

Ingredients:

2 cups Almond Flour

1/2 cup Coconut Flour

2 Tbsp Tapioca Flour

1 cup Pumpkin Puree

2/3 cup Maple Syrup

1 Tbsp Coconut Oil

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Nutmeg

1/4 tsp Clove

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract

Optional: 1/4 cup Chocolate Chips

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2) Combine dry ingredients, making sure to work out any lumps in the flours.

3) Add wet ingredients and mix into a sticky dough.

4) Form into 1 1/2 inch balls and place on lined cookie sheet.

5) Bake for about 20 minutes.

6) Serve plain or drizzled with additional maple syrup.

Paleo Chocolate Chunk Cookies

The recipe I'm sharing with you today is, hands down, my FAVORITE Paleo dessert recipe out there (and I've tried quite a few good ones!).  These Chocolate Chunk Cookies are, in my opinion, some of the best cookies in the world - Paleo or not.

I've shared this recipe with countless friends and all the lovely ladies I work with, and we are all beyond hooked.  I could write love songs about these cookies...that's how good they are.  Hard to believe they're actually pretty good for you, too - gluten, grain, and dairy free!  I can eat 5 of them without feeling bad; that's what I call a cherry-on-top! ;)

This recipe makes 10 cookies (I usually double it)...Enjoy!!

Paleo Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup almond meal

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. baking soda

3 Tbsp. coconut oil

2 Tbsp. honey

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 Tbsp. almond milk

1/4 cup dark chocolate pieces (use whatever dark chocolate you want based on preferences/diet)

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2) Combine dry ingredients in a medium-sixed bowl.

3) Whisk together wet ingredients in a small bowl.

4) Add wet to dry and mix together.

5) Fill a tablespoon measure with batter and press down to form a half-circle.  Tap batter out onto baking sheet and lightly press down in the center.

5) Bake for 11 minutes or until bottoms just start to turn brown. They will be soft when removed from oven but will firm up in a few minutes.  

Adapted from: http://www.runningtothekitchen.com/2012/10/chocolate-chunk-paleo-cookies/

Dark Chocolate Coconut Paleo Truffles

Mmmmmm truffles <3

Just the mere mention of the word and I'm instantly transported to another time(s) - mainly, all the Valentine's Days of yester-years.  As a young girl, one of my favorites parts about the holiday was always the anticipation of receiving my big box of Russel Stover Assorted Chocolates from mom & dad, and eagerly biting into each, never knowing for sure what was waiting on the inside...chocolate ganache, chewy caramel, creamy cherry filling?  Even now, as an adult with a pretty strong sense of self-control, I am still SO SO SUPER DUPER tempted every Valentine's Day by the grocery aisles full of those pretty red, heart-shaped boxes!  

These truffles definitely feel like a "cheat", but they are, without a doubt, a much healthier version of the truffle than anything you'll find from Mr. Stover.  They're covered in healthy dark chocolate and filled with chewy, sweet coconut.  I'm REALLY excited to share this recipe with you - super easy, and I know you'll love them!

The recipe makes 18-21 Truffles.  If you're anything like my husband and I, that amount will last you approximately...2 days ;)  Enjoy!

Dark Chocolate Coconut Paleo Truffles

Ingredients:

2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

4 Tbsp maple syrup

5 Tbsp coconut oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 ounces dark chocolate for melting

Directions: 

1. Pulse the coconut in a food processor until the texture becomes like thick flour.  Transfer to a bowl and add the maple syrup and coconut oil.  Stir until a thick paste forms.

2. Using your hands, squeeze the mixture into 18-21 small balls.  Place the coconut balls in the fridge for ~30 minutes or until firm.

3. Melt the chocolate slowly and gently until smooth and spreadable (using either a double-boiler or your microwave).

4. Lay out a sheet of wax paper.  Using two forks, roll each coconut ball in the chocolate until completely covered.  Scoop the ball out with the fork and let the extra chocolate drip off the fork.  Gently place the truffle onto wax paper and chill until the chocolate has hardened.  Store in the fridge. 

Paleo Dark Chocolate Bark with Pistachio and Cranberry

Confession:  I LOVE sweets. LOVE.

Sweet tooth?  No, this chick's got a whole mouth full of sweet teeth.

I'm also a firm believer that every day should end with dessert, and I'm not really willing to budge on that.  Life is just too short to not enjoy something sweet after supper...it's one of those little, simple pleasures that brings me a lot of joy.

However, I recognize, of course, that having a full-on dessert splurge every night is a bad idea for many reasons, so I find ways to get my sweets fix without undoing all the hard work I put in at the gym every week.  It can be done!  Moderation is key!

This Dark Chocolate Bark with Pistachios and Cranberries is a great example of a way to do dessert without over-doing dessert.  Dark chocolate is a superfood that boosts your mood and is rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatories.  It's also good for your heart, brain, and skin!  Unfortunately, this doesn't mean you should eat a whole bunch of it every day, but it does mean that the occasional controlled portion can (and should!) be savored :)  Again... moderation!

I'm pretty crazy about the way the cranberries in this recipe cut some of the bitterness of the dark chocolate - perfect harmony!  Add pistachios for a little crunch and salt-factor...and wow, this bark is pretty spectacular.  Good luck trying not to eat it all in one sitting!

Paleo Dark Chocolate Bark with Pistachio and Cranberry

Recipe adapted from brighteyedbaker.com

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups dark chocolate chips (at least 70%)

1/4 cup chopped pistachios

1/4 cup chopped dried cranberries

Directions:

1) Prepare a baking pan by spraying with non-stick spray and lining with parchment paper.

2) Melt chocolate chips in a double-boiler on medium-high heat, 

stirring until chocolate is completely melted.  

(Although I don't typically trust it, you can also melt your chocolate in the microwave, if need be. 

Start with 1 minute on high, then microwave for additional 30-second increments until melted.)

3) Pour melted chocolate into pan and spread the chocolate out evenly using the back of your spoon. Sprinkle on chopped pistachios and dried cranberries.

4) Place in fridge to harden for at least 30 minutes.  Remove from fridge, peel bark off parchment paper, and break into pieces.

Paleo Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

We survived Snowpocalypse!  This week we're thawing out with some pretty sunshine and much warmer temps... it's 72 degrees outside at the moment.  Thank you, Lord.  I'm so ready for spring!

The recipe I'm sharing today is one of my go-tos and has been for quite some time now. Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, and I especially love a sweet breakfast - pancakes, waffles, muffins, french toast, banana bread...you get the idea.  These muffins satisfy me just like the real thing, but they're a whole lot better for me than the real thing. It's a win-win!

Still not sold?...

You only need 7 ingredients to make them.  Yep, 7. So easy.

These are best enjoyed with a cup of coffee and after being warmed in the microwave for about 20 seconds :)

Paleo Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients:

3 bananas, ripe

3 eggs

3 1/2 cups almond flour

1/4 cup of dark chocolate (or semi-sweet chocolate) chips

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

Directions:

1) Blend the wet ingredients.

2) Mix the dry in a bowl with a fork.

3) Combine the wet and dry, then scoop into a lined muffin pan and bake at 350 for 23-24 minutes (until lightly browned).

4) Remove and let cool.

There might be something wrong with you if you don't love these muffins ;)

Welcome to my blog!

Hello, friends!  First post on my first (ever!) blog -  I'm so excited to kick this thing off and have a space to share my culinary adventures with all of you.

As the title of the blog implies, I'm all about eating delicious, satisfying, nutritious, REAL food to fuel an active and healthy lifestyle.  Think of your body like a car - without first filling up your tank with gasoline, you won't get very far, right?  In the same way, you can't expect your body to perform and grow in ways that amaze you if you aren't putting good fuel in first.  Food for Fit; Fit for Food is a reminder that we get good out when we put good in!

My husband and I have followed a pretty strictly Paleo diet for ~6 months now, and it's been life-changing.  I've never had more energy, felt stronger, and experienced an all-around quality of life that is anything compared to the fullness of how I currently feel.  As a Personal Fitness Trainer and Crossfit addict, I've seen the changes in my eating impact my workouts in ways I didn't know possible.  I have more energy than ever before and have seen huge gains in my strength and muscle development.  I know these gains are a direct result of treating my body right and feeding it the kind of food it was designed to eat.  Per Paleo's principles, my diet is packed full of lean meats, veggies, fruits, and healthy fats.  I don't count calories and don't feel deprived.  The food I'm eating is nutrient dense and leaves me feeling satisfied and energized.

But going Paleo has given me another gift, and one that I didn't expect. I'm discovering in myself a love for cooking and experimenting in the kitchen.  Growing up, my kitchen tasks were limited mostly to clean-up, so I began adulthood with a very limited cooking arsenal (can you call boiling Ramen cooking?).  As I approach the last few years of my 20's, I'm now, finally, discovering the joy in not only eating incredible, healthy food, but also the joy that preparing this incredible food brings.

I still have SO MUCH to learn, which is partly what this blog is all about.  I'm committed to trying at least a couple new recipes each week so that I can share not only the really good ones with you, but also what I'm learning along the way.  The recipes I share here will all follow Paleo principles unless otherwise noted.  I do believe in the occasional cheat ;)

But enough jibber-jabber already...on to recipes!

This first recipe I wanted to share is for Paleo Banana-Raisin Breakfast Cookies.  The hubby and I are always looking for quick breakfast options, and this one is a no-brainer.  Assemble all the ingredients, mix 'em up, and bake for 12 minutes - voila!  Breakfast for the week!  These aren't a substantial source of protein, so have one with a couple scrambled eggs or some slices of bacon :)  My favorite thing about these cookies is how soft they are, especially if you warm them for a minute or two in the toaster before eating.

Paleo Banana-Raisin Breakfast Cookies 

Ingredients:

2 ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup almond butter

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1-2 cups raisins (or mix-ins of your choice)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.  

2. Combine all ingredients until well blended.  

3. Drop by tbs. onto a greased or Silpat-lined baking sheet.  

4. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom.  

(These will spread a good bit, so leave room between cookies!)

Can't wait to hear what you think.  Happy eating! :)

Allie