October 2018 - The Southern Magnolia

October 23, 2018 No Comments

Dairy Free Chocolate Almond Clusters

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Dairy Free Chocolate Almond Clusters

I had mentioned in a previous post that I had been cutting dairy out of my diet. Finding dairy free treats that don’t taste dairy free has been my mission. Enjoy Life is one of my favorite brands for dairy free and gluten free foods. They offer a large selection of foods that are free from gluten and 14 common allergens, Non-GMO, and made from all natural ingredients. I have tried a number of their products from nut butter bars to trail mixes to their rice milk chocolate bars and I have enjoyed them all. Their rice milk chocolate products are dairy free without tasting like they are dairy free. I am currently expecting my first child, due in January and I’ve made a conscious effort to make smart choices about the foods I eat throughout my pregnancy. Enjoy Life products are ones that I can feel good about eating while pregnant.

Dairy Free Chocolate Almond Clusters

I came up with this recipe when I was craving something sweet and chocolatey and decided to see what I had in my pantry that I could create a dessert with. With only a few ingredients, I made these delicious dairy free chocolate almond clusters. Below I will share how you can easily create these treats too in no time.

Dairy Free Chocolate Almond Clusters

To make these dairy free chocolate almond clusters all you will need is Enjoy Life’s chocolate chips, coconut oil, roasted almonds, and sea salt. Begin by adding 1/3 cup of the Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips along with 1/2 tbsp of coconut oil to a microwave safe bowl. Adding the coconut oil helps to give the melted chocolate a better texture. Place the bowl into the microwave for 30 seconds and remove and stir before placing back into the microwave for another 30 seconds. Repeat that step until chocolate is completely melted. I recommend only heating the chocolate for 30 seconds at a time so that you don’t burn the chocolate.

Once the chocolate is completely melted, remove the bowl from the microwave and pour in 1/3 cup of almonds. Stir the almond/chocolate mixture until the almonds are completely coated in chocolate. Then I used a tablespoon to spoon the chocolate coated almonds onto a cooking sheet lined with parchment paper. Continue spooning a tablespoon amount of the chocolate almonds onto the parchment paper evenly spaced apart until there is none left. Next we add the sea salt to each of the almond clusters. How much you want to add is completely up to you. I lightly sprinkle a small amount on each one just to give it enough for a salty/sweet taste. Finally, add the baking sheet to the freezer for 10 minutes or until the chocolate has completely hardened. Once hardened, the dairy free chocolate almond clusters are ready to enjoy!

Dairy Free Chocolate Almond Clusters

Ingredients

1/3 cup roasted almonds
1/3 cup of Enjoy Life chocolate chips (or any dairy free version of your choice)
1/2 tbsp coconut oil
Sea Salt

Instructions

Add 1/3 cup of the Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips along with 1/2 tbsp of coconut oil to a microwave safe bowl.
Place the bowl into the microwave for 30 seconds and remove and stir before placing back into the microwave for another 30 seconds. Repeat that step until chocolate is completely melted.
Once the chocolate is completely melted, remove the bowl from the microwave and pour in 1/3 cup of almonds.
Stir the almond/chocolate mixture until the almonds are completely coated in chocolate.
Use a tablespoon to spoon the chocolate coated almonds onto a cooking sheet lined with parchment paper. Continue spooning a tablespoon amount of the chocolate almonds onto the parchment paper evenly spaced apart until there is none left.
Lightly sprinkle a small amount of sea salt on each almond cluster.
Add the baking sheet to the freezer for 10 minutes or until the chocolate has completely hardened.
Once the clusters have completely hardened, they are ready to enjoy!

https://www.thesouthernmagnolia.com/dairy-free-chocolate-almond-clusters/

Dairy Free Chocolate Almond Clusters

It’s such an easy treat and one that you don’t have to feel too guilty about. I am a sucker for any kind of dessert that combines salty and sweet and these are no exception. Check out my recipe for Dairy Free Sunbutter cups and dairy free buckeyes.

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Healthy Bison Meatballs

October 11, 2018 1 Comment

Healthy Bison Meatballs

I am constantly looking for new foods I can cook for dinner so that we don’t get tired of the same things. Recently, I had someone recommend trying bison. I have never tried cooking with bison but have eaten it in restaurants and have always enjoyed it. I decided I was up for the task and bought some lean bison from my local grocery store. After debating on how to prepare the bison, I ultimately decided to go with meatballs and my husband I are were more than pleased with the results. Below I will share how I prepared these healthy bison meatballs incase you are looking for something new to add into your dinner routine.

Healthy Bison Meatballs

I began by adding 1 lb of 90% lean ground bison to a large mixing bowl. Next I added in 1 egg, 2 tablespoons of panko bread crumbs, 1/2 tbsp dried parsley, 1/4 tbsp marjoram, 2 minced cloves of garlic, 1/2 tbsp onion powder, 1/2 tbsp of oregano, pinch of salt, 1 tbsp of worcestershire sauce, and 1/2 tbsp of chopped craisins (optional) (I like these reduced sugar ones)into the mixing bowl. Personally, I find it easier to mix the ingredients by hand and continue until the ingredients are mixed well.

Healthy Bison Meatballs

I next put a small amount of olive oil into a pan and turn the burner on medium-high heat. I begin by rolling the bison mixture into golf ball sized balls and placing them into the pan. From 1 lb of bison, I can usually make 10-12 meatballs. That is usually plenty for my husband and myself with a few meatballs left over. I allow the meatballs to cook 3-5 minutes before rolling the meatballs onto their other side and allowing to cook another 3-5 minutes. I then place the meatballs into an oven preheated to 375 degrees Farenheit for another 5-7 minutes to cook the meatballs all the way through. If you made your meatballs slightly larger, you may have to cook them a little longer. Once the meatballs have been cooked completely, remove them from the oven and they are ready to enjoy!

Healthy Bison Meatballs

Ingredients

1 lb lean ground bison
1 egg
2 tbsp panic bread crumbs
1/2 tbsp dried parsley
1/4 tbsp marjoram
2 minced cloves of garlic
1/2 tbsp onion powder
1/2 tbsp of oregano
pinch of salt
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tbsp chopped craisins (optional)

Instructions

Add 1 lb lean ground bison, 1 egg, 2 tbsp panic bread crumbs, 1/2tbsp dried parsley, 1/4 tbsp marjoram, 2 minced cloves of garlic, 1/2 tbsp onion powder, 1/2tbsp of oregano, pinch of salt, 1 tbsp of worcestershire sauce, and 1/2 tbsp of chopped craisins (optional) into the mixing bowl.
Mix all the ingredients together by hand until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
Put a small amount of olive oil into a pan and turn the burner on medium-high heat.
Roll the bison mixture into golf ball sized balls and place them into the pan.
Allow the meatballs to cook 3-5 minutes before rolling the meatballs onto their other side and allowing to cook another 3-5 minutes.
Then place the meatballs into an oven preheated to 375 degrees Farenheit for another 5-7 minutes to cook the meatballs all the way through.

https://www.thesouthernmagnolia.com/healthy-bison-meatballs/

Healthy Bison Meatballs

Have you ever cooked with bison before? If not, is it something you would be open to trying? If you cook with bison, what are some of your favorite bison recipes? Let me know if you give these healthy bison meatballs a try. You can find a couple other healthy dinner recipes here and here.

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