{The Shrinkage Diaries} Paleo Fudge

This is fudge.

This is also healthy fudge.

This is also crazy-delicious, why-haven't-I-made-it-before fudge.

This is also gluten-free, dairy-free, refined-sugar-free fudge.

I just thought you might like to know.

It's creamy, delicious, and disappeared quicker than you can say "Bobshruckle" (It took me about eighteen years to realize Bert in Mary Poppins was saying "Bob's your uncle". I still prefer my way). If you're in the middle of a Shrinkage Plan (like me), you seriously ought to consider making this fudge. Also, if you're on a Paleo diet, this is compatible with that, so cheers! I've slung the recipe at you below:

Paleo Fudge

• 1/2 c. almond or peanut butter
• 1/2 c. cocoa powder
• 1/2 c. coconut oil
• 1/4 c. raw honey
• Dash of vanilla if desired

1.  Combine all ingredients in food processor until smooth and creamy. If desired, stir in shredded coconut, chopped nuts, or dried fruit.
2. Spread into waxed paper-lined pan and chill for 30 minutes before cutting into squares.

Hope you make and enjoy this healthy treat soon! It certainly makes resisting bad-for-you foods easier to bear. And if you use peanut-butter, it really does begin to taste like a dark chocolate Reese's cup! Friendly toward your body, easy to make--what more could a girl ask for?

The Shrinkage Diaries: Hot Cocoa Revamped

Good news, people! The Shrinkage Diaries is back. I haven't been posting about it recently, but I am still eating better and exercising more than I did in days of yore. Haven't been AS lovely about it as my sister Leah who is now a little skinny-minny while I am still...not, but I am doing far better than I once was and I like how I feel when I'm working hard. :)

In the last two days we've had the first fire in our woodstove and the first snow. Of course it wasn't much snow and it didn't stick but for an hour there were spittings of white precipitation that was undoubtedly snow. And that's a big thing in Southern Virginia, to get snow in November. It is a truth universally acknowledged though that with cold weather comes the desire to do sedentary things like sit by that fire and read James Herriot and drink hot cocoa. Also to listen to Christmas music. I almost never listen to Christmas music before Thanksgiving as I don't want to get tired of it, but somehow with the weather being so cold and everyone from the radio-stations to Ann Voskamp playing the old favorites (not to mention the girls practicing carols on the piano) I'm starting to slide into the realm of listeners. I'm actually feeling very holidayish: we're having two friends to Thanksgiving who are single and have no family nearby to spend the holidays with. Cannot wait to take Tatum Black Friday shopping for the first time! To counteract the demands all these cold-weather activities make on my waistline, I took a long walk in the cold, biting wind yesterday and arrived home with all my makeup wiped off by the tears I kept having to wipe away in the face of the blast. Feeling thoroughly frozen at that time, I marched into the kitchen and made myself a cup of hot cocoa. But not any cocoa, since I didn't want to undo the benefits of the walk for which I'd sacrificed my carefully-applied smokey-eye makeup. This cocoa is what I call "clean". No one, not even the Chocolate-Covered Katie herself, could crrrrrriticize its ingredients. (unless she's lactose intolerant or something) I mentioned something of this wonder-drink in a Facebook post and it was suggested that I post the recipe here after I explained what the heck "clean hot cocoa" was. Of course posting a recipe meant I'd need pictures which meant I'd get to make more today...so I did. Here, then, is the result:

Clean Hot Cocoa:

• 2 Tbs. (or less) of pure maple syrup
• 2 Tbs. cocoa powder
• A dash of salt
• 8-12 oz. milk (I usually go for 12 or it gets too rich)
• Splash of vanilla

On the stovetop, whisk-together the maple syrup, cocoa powder, and salt. Stir constantly while simmering for one minute, then whisk in the milk. Heat cocoa per your preference in temperature. When hot enough, remove from stove and stir in vanilla. Enjoy!

This cocoa is smooth, rich, and creamy (and would be more-so if I had been able to get hold of some raw milk), and you won't miss a thing from the normal junk that is full of refined sugars! Feel free to adjust the ratio of maple syrup to cocoa powder--mine was a little sweet. I am excited to have worked out a clean way to have cocoa this early in the cold-season. Also in preparation for the fall/winter, I have been training myself to drink tea and coffee without even honey as a sweetener so hopefully my waist will continue to shrink. (ha. HAHAHA. ha.) Stay tuned for more "clean" holiday treat posts! I want to try my hand at peppermint-bark, fudge, gingerbread men, and more! Let's see what I can do, and if my waist survives the holiday season! Let's call it: The Shrinkage Diaries: Candy-Cane Style. ;)

Toodles! Let me know if there are any specific recipes you'd like me to renovate and I'll see what I can do. In the meantime, drink this hot-chocolate without guilt: your health will love you and give you a nice slap on the shoulder for being such a spiffing fellow.

The Shrinkage Diaries: Strawberry Fudge Brownies! Serios!

Don't be scared...it's just Amy and I imitating the Bears. :D

Shrinkage is still going well, though somewhat delayed since coming home. I haven't been exercising much, which I am going to make a goal of this week. It's funny how getting out of practice of a thing makes you rather reluctant to do it! I love experimenting with healthy recipes of every sort, but some of my favorite things to work on are Clean-Eating desserts.

I mean, really. Who can resist a dessert? Not me. And I knew that giving up refined sugars and wheat-flours didn't have to mean the end of everything amazing.  I like to know my food blogs, and for a long while Smitten Kitchen was the place I went (and still go) when I wanted a weird recipe like homemade Wheat Thins or Goldfish or Graham Crackers. Brown Eyed Baker was a close second with any and every recipe . And when I was feeling really French and adventures, I went with David Lebovitz for something like his divine Lemon Curd. But obviously a paradigm shift in diet means I can no longer frequent sites like Smitten Kitchen or Brown Eyed Baker. They have become the rarest of treats.

But I'm still not panicking. Because, well, this is where Clean-Foodie blogs like Chocolate Covered Katie  come in. Do you realize, people, that CCK is a blog devoted almost entirely to clean dessert recipes? AH! I have tried several and have loved each one. Other great Clean-Foodie blogs are An Edible Mosaic and Gracious Pantry, which I have likewise scoured for recipes to satisfy my family's collective sweet-tooth. There are so many I have yet to try that look amazing, like CCK's No-Bake Coconut Crack bars. I mean, really people. How can anything that tastes as good as these recipes be healthy for you?

I'm developing an understanding that healthy actually tastes a whole lot better.

That being said, the other day I had an urge to making something delicious for when Abigail Taylor arrived. I hopped on to CCK and chose Chocolate Chip Everything Bars. Now we all laugh, knowing that I am an untraditionalist when it comes to following a recipe, and I'm always altering even the most simple things to fit my preferences. The first problem came when I didn't have chocolate chips. Or enough coconut. Or nuts. Or freeze-dried berries. or xylitol, and I really didn't want to use sugar. Oh yeah. I didn't have stevia either.
Before you dismiss me as being crazy for settling on a recipe I didn't even have the ingredients for, you have to do two things:

1.) Look at this picture:

2.) Remember I'm very good at this sort of thing.

You can't resist the one and you can't deny the other, so hush for a second while we move onward. I started substituting this for that and her for him and them for y'all and you know, eventually these weren't Chocolate Chip Everything Bars. They were Strawberry-Fudge Brownies. Now you may laugh, and then enjoy the recipe, which I'm posting below.

Srawberry Fudge Brownies:

• 1/2 c. oats (rolled or quick)
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3/4 c. dark cocoa powder (I used Hershey's Special Dark)
• 1/4 c. shredded coconut (you may use up to 1/2 cup)
• 2 (15 oz.) cans white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/3 c. dates soaked
• 6 Tbs. coconut oil
• 4 Tbs. applesauce
• 4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 c. fresh strawberries, diced
• A sprinkling of chocolate chips would be nice if you had 'em.

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. and grease a 9 x 13 pan.
2. Combine all ingredients except strawberries and chocolate chips in a blender or food processor, and blend till completely smooth, scraping down the sides when necessary.
3. Stir in strawberries and chips by hand, then smooth into pan.
4. Bake for 30 minutes and cool completely.

Makes about fifteen brownies...if they make it out of the pan

These are absolutely to die for. The batter was a little disappointing flavor-wise...you could taste the beans a little bit. It was like chocolate-hummus! :D But something magical happened in the oven, and the caterpillar was transformed into an elegant chocolate butterfly. Abigail was astonished. Dad was more astonished. He's not been eating sugar for at least 9 months, so he walked in and was like, "So, is there anything good to eat around here?"
I gestured to the plate of decadent, fudge-y brownies sitting on the countertop. "Those."
"Yeah, but they have sugar."
"No they don't," I laughed.
"Yes they do."
"Dad, really, they don't."
"What?" and then he took one and tried it and I think I'll be his favorite daughter from now on. ;)

Kidding. But honestly, you really need to try these brownies. You can leave out the strawberries if strawberries and chocolate together aren't your thing, and you'd still be left with a killer brownie: moist, fudge-y, deep, and impossibly, deliciously dark. You'll never taste a better clean-eating brownie (or a better regular brownie!) unless, of  course, it was my Single-Lady One-Serving Brownies. But those will have to feature in another post!

Would you like me to continue the Clean-Eating Recipe posts? I'm having such a great time trying out these things and sharing them with you. Do you have any favorite healthy-food blogs? I'm always on the lookout for more!

The Shrinkage Diaries: Breakfast in the Bahamas

Dear Figure,

      I bet it'd be really easy to be skinny in the Bahamas. It seems like a place where--since one is required to wear a bathing suit even at Christmas--one would be more conscious of eating pineapples and mangoes and other fruits. I have friends who were in the Bahamas last week. Yup. They're an amazing couple who work really hard and deserve a vacation like this. Still...for those of us winter-bound in Virginia, it can be a bit...ehhhhhhhh... to see the photos of these friends on pristine beaches, looking like an ad out of a travel magazine. Jill even got sunburned. In March!

So! What's a girl to do when the sun is just starting to warm up, and you, Figure, are requiring something schnazzy to keep inspired to trim down? I make a Bahama Breakfast, that's what! Pair this "clean" muffin recipe with a smoothie made out of frozen pineapple, mango, and peaches blent with coconut milk, and voila! You'll look like a beach-bum in no time. :)

Choco-Tropic Oat Muffins

I started with this recipe, but quickly expanded the add-ins to make these unbelievably delicious, exotic muffins! Perfect for a spring morning!

• 2 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 c. yogurt
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 c. honey
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 ripe bananas, smashed
• 1/3 c. unsweetened, shredded coconut
• 1/3 c. slivered almonds
• 1/3 c. dark chocolate chips, chopped

1. Pulverize oats in blender or food processor until you have a "flour". Add in other dry ingredients.
2. Mix wet ingredients together, then add to dry. Mix with a few quick strokes
3. Line muffin tin with papers, and bake muffins at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Makes 1 dozen muffins

These muffins were way more delicious than I'd even hoped. I mean really--did you ever think you could make a muffin that had not flour or sugar?! I'd heard of replacing the sugar with honey, and even done it before, but most times the muffin ended up tough with a leathery "skin". These muffins are fluffy at the same time they're full of texture from the coconut, almonds, and chocolate chips. Definitely a keeper recipe: one to use over and over again!

In other news, I'm creating: Shrinkage Diaries: The Cookbook for my own use. Can't wait to stock it with many more of the recipes I've been experimenting on!

The Shrinkage Diaries: and some days you'd like to kill the cat

Dear Figure,

       Today I'd like to bite nails. Like...metal ones.
       Today I'd like to throw something.
       Today I'd like to go to a Krispy Kreme and eat every raspberry doughnut on the place.
       And yes. Today I'd almost like to kill my cat.

The reason? Eh. I don't know that I have one. To quote a friend, "It must be a Thursday. I could never get the hang of Thursdays." And as for the cat, I came downstairs this morning and was greeted by Dad very sweetly saying: "Good-morning, but your cat apparently couldn't use her litter box last night and went in the laundry basket."

Oy vay.

Yeah. Not an auspicious start to my day. I think this strange humor began last night with a chocolate craving.  I almost caved and made brownies, but I am so glad Leah wouldn't let me. Instead I went to Pinterest, and from there to one of my new favorite recipe sites: The Gracious Pantry, and oh. my. stinkin'. goodness.

Figure: I totally owned you last night. How?

By whipping up a batch of her Clean Eating Double-Chocolate Oreos. I'm not even kidding. These things...they're...they're....they are "simply too too too diveen!" For real. As my FB feed would show...

"I will NOT eat all the clean-eating oreo dough before baking. I will NOT!"

And really. It was hard not to. Sarah was a skeptic and didn't want to admit that the smell rising out of the oven was akin to ambrosial breezes from the ever-after. But seriously, girls. Who cares about eating clean. At the moment these cookies were ready to come out of the oven, I would challenge the staunchest junk-fooder to say they tasted "too healthy." These are not only the best clean-eating cookie I've ever had...they are the best chocolate cookie I've ever had. Even counting everything bad-for-you I have tasted my whole life through. For reals, people. For reals. And to raise perfection an increment higher, yesterday was the 101st birthday of the Oreo cookie! :) Perhaps it was the Dutch-processed cocoa Mrs. Vandebrooke gave us that lent these cookies such elegance. So rich and divine you could only eat one stack. You only dared eat one, for fear of what might happen to you if you experienced such grandeur over again. ;)

Whatever it was, I am never going to taste anything quite that craving-quenching in my life. Now. The recipe.

Clean Eating Double-Chocolate Oreos

Cookie ingredients: 

8 oz. almonds ground into "flour"
1 c. unsweetened cocoa
1/3 c. honey or maple syrup (I used honey)
1/3 c. coconut oil
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

Filling ingredients:
1/4 c. coconut oil
1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa
3 Tbs. honey or maple syrup (I used honey)
1 tsp. vanilla

Step One: Blend almond flour and cocoa powder together in bowl. Add other ingredients and mix well with a wooden spoon.

Step Two: Form walnut-size balls and flatten with the palm of your hand till cookies are desired thickness. They will not rise or flatten in the oven, so what you see is what you get. Form accordingly. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes.

Step Three: Blend all filling ingredients together in blender or food processer, and keep in fridge till thickened. You might want to add a little more cocoa if your filling is too runny, but it will firm up and thicken as it sits a moment so wait to add anything till you're certain.

Step Four: Once cookies are cool, assemble with filling between two cookies.

Makes 10-12 sandwiches

So Figure? Never again am I going to lament that I can't entirely satisfy my chocolate craving while catering to your touchy whims. Because, honestly? Even if I threw my hunt for you to the wind, I'd never find a better-tasting recipe than this.