Greetings from me and my laptop which has so many pictures of chocolates on it right now, that you would think I wanted to open a chocolate shop, (although, that won’t be a bad idea now would it?).
Anyway, let me be the first to say Happy Valentines day to you and tell you that, you are important, you are loved and you are valuable. We’re still doing our month long affirmations, so get in on that action and talk to yourself before anyone else tells you who you are not.
So, I know that a lot of times, we can think of what a main course will be and what starters we will begin dinner with, but as most hosts do, figuring out what to serve your guests after dinner especially so that it’s not all completely sweet, can be a chore. On that note, I found a solution that works and still tastes great.
Allow me to introduce you to 5 yummy and healthy desserts for your girls night or if you’re celebrating Valentines day in a group or if you’re hosting a few friends or if you just want an option of desserts. These 5 treats, are sure to treat your tastebuds right, (please tell me you saw what I did there).
Consider these my first valentine’s day gift to you and I hope they sweeten up your dinner game.
Cheers to a month and life full of love and sweet things!!
Let’s indulge shall we?
- Rasberry & Chocolate Filled Cupcakes https://lexiscleankitchen.com/double-chocolate-raspberry-filled-cupcakes-with-chocolate-ganache/
- 3/4 cup almond meal
- 1 1/2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoon Enjoy Life’s mini chocolate chips
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- 3 eggs
- 3 tablespoon unsweetened organic apple sauce
- 3 tablespoon pure organic raw honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 carton fresh organic raspberries
Ganache Frosting
- 1/3 cup Enjoy Life’s chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup full-fat coconut milk
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350
- In a mixing bowl combine almond meal, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda, mix well until smooth
- Add in eggs, apple sauce, honey, and vanilla extract– whisk together
- Add in chocolate chips
- Pour into greased muffin tins (I use silicone muffin liners) halfway, place a raspberry in the center and top off with remaining batter
- Bake on 350 for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean
- Make ganache: In a saucepan or microwave, heat chocolate chips and coconut milkand mix until combined, let sit for 5 minutes
- Remove cupcakes and let cool on cooling rack, dip into ganache (optional: add a raspberry to the top), and let sit so the ganache cools and slightly hardens
- Storing: Store in tupperware and for best results keep in the refrigerator
Recipe Notes
- Servings: 12
- Amount Per Serving: 1
- Calories: 142
- Fat: 9g
- Carbs: 13g
- Protein: 4g
- 3 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 tbsp agave nectar — or honey
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups fresh strawberries
- 1 tbsp coconut flakes
Instructions
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In a medium bowl, combine the chia seeds and coconut milk together. Stir very well to avoid any chunks.
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Add the agave and vanilla extract. Mix everything very well.
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Using a plastic wrap, cover the bowl and refrigerate for about 4-5 hours.
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When the chia pudding is ready to be served, puree the strawberries in a food processor.
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Mix the pureed strawberry and chia pudding together.
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In small glasses (or dessert dishes), pour the chia pudding and top with coconut flakes and strawberries.
3) No Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/healthy-no-bake-peanut-butter-chocolate-bars-3362476
Ingredients
Crust:
Cooking spray
24 chocolate wafer cookies
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
4 ounces semisweet chocolate morsels, melted
Filling
4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
1/2 cup creamy all-natural peanut butter
1/2 cup 2-percent Greek yogurt
2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
Toppings
1/4 cup chopped roasted unsalted peanuts
Kosher salt
Directions
- For the crust: Line an 8-inch square pan with foil so it overhangs on two sides and lightly coat with cooking spray. Process the cookies in a food processor until finely ground. Add the melted butter and process again until the crumbs are coated with the butter; add the melted chocolate and process until the mixture is the texture of very wet sand. Using an offset spatula, press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan, cover and refrigerate while preparing the filling. Clean out the food processor bowl.
- For the filling and topping: Add the cream cheese, peanut butter, yogurt and sugar to the bowl of the food processor and process until smooth and combined. Pour the mixture over the crust and smooth with a spatula. Top with the peanuts and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover and refrigerate until set slightly looser than cream cheese, about 4 hours up to overnight.
- Run a knife around the edges of the mixture to loosen, use the foil handles to lift it out, cut into 12 bars and serve chilled.
4) All Fruit Mango Sorbet https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/all-fruit-mango-sorbet-3362720
Ingredients
2 very ripe mangoes (2 to 2 1/2 pounds total)
2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut flakes
1 small lime, quartered
Honey for drizzling, optional
Directions
- Peel the mangoes, cut the flesh from around the pit and cut into approximately 1/2-inch chunks (you should have about 4 cups). Arrange the chunks in a single layer on a baking sheet, and loosely cover with plastic wrap. Freeze the mango until hard, at least 4 hours up to overnight.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the coconut out on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until lightly golden and toasted, about 4 minutes, tossing about halfway through.
- Once the mango is completely frozen, transfer it to a food processor. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup hot water, and process the mango until completely smooth; turn the food processor off and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula as needed. The finished texture should be like creamy sorbet (a few small chunks of mango are fine). Scoop the sorbet into 4 serving glasses or bowls, squeeze a quarter of a lime over each, drizzle with honey if using and sprinkle with toasted coconut.
5) Honey Roasted Pineapple With Greek Yoghurt https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/honey-roasted-pineapple-with-greek-yogurt-3362829
Ingredients
Juice of 2 oranges (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup honey
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1/2 a fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
One 7-ounce container 2 percent Greek yogurt
Directions
Special equipment:
9-by-13-inch broiler-proof baking dish
- Position an oven rack in the upper third of the oven, and preheat to 450 degrees F.
- Combine 1 cup water, orange juice, honey and vanilla bean pod and seeds in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to loosen the honey. Turn off the heat, and leave the saucepan on the stove. (You may need to reduce the roasting juices a little more once the pineapple is cooked.)
- Arrange the pineapple slices in a broiler-proof 9-by-13 baking dish. Pour the orange syrup over the pineapple. Roast, basting occasionally, until the pineapple is tender and the juices have reduced, about 20 minutes.
- Set the oven to broil, and continue to cook the pineapple until it is a deep golden yellow and lightly brown around the edges, 5 to 10 minutes more.
- The roasting juices should be reduced and syrupy, measuring about 1/4 cup. If they are too watery, remove the pineapple slices with a slotted spoon to a medium bowl, return the juices to the saucepan and reduce the juices over medium-high heat until syrupy, about 1/4 cup.
- Divide the yogurt among 4 small bowls. Top with the pineapple slices, and drizzle with the syrup.