Vegan Chocolate Shakeology

The first time I tried Vegan Chocolate Shakeology.....it was just a sample.   I did NOT expect....the way my day went....AFTER i drank my very first shake at 8 am one morning!  Here are my facebook posts on that day!!!  :)

9 am Let's see how long this Shakeology keeps me full! I will let you all know. I had my Shakeology at 8 am. We shall see!   10 am I am still feeling very full and content....and I just took my "BEFORE" pics. I am going to need some friends to join me for my 2013 "Shake it up with Sherri" New Year Challenge! I am in need of some SERIOUS toning! OH LORD! LOL   11:30 am 3 1/2 hours after having my Shakeology and have absolutely no cravings. I have loads of energy and all of those nutrients in my body is giving me that feeling you get on a GREAT first date! I'm at the store, getting some veggies for salad for dinner! No way am I putting any crap into my body and ruining this amazing feeling!   12:15 PM I just got home and I think my husband thinks I have lost my mind. I have not felt this good, since before my accident. I think he thinks I must surely be on drugs. This is way better than any pain meds out there!   12:28 PM I am bummed that I don't have any more Shakeology and I know I will not feel like this tomorrow....no matter how many veggies I eat. There is NO way I could possibly afford that many veggies every single day to get this same feeling and I couldn't stomach that many veggies either. I am sooooo looking forward to 2013. It's gonna be the best year ever!

Homemade Choc. Almond Butter Cups

Homemade Almond Chocolate

Ingredients

¼ cup raw organic cacao powder
¼ cup organic coconut oil or coconut butter
5 mls vanilla essence
1 1/2 tbs almond butter
10-12 drops liquid stevia plus 1/2 tsp powdered stevia (sweeten to your taste with more or less stevia, do a taste test before freezing).
1 TBS shaved cacao butter (optional)
Melt cacao and coconut oil over boiling water add additional ingredients and stir until smooth

Place in a container (I used a shallow muffin pan you could use chocolate paper cups) and freeze for 30 minutes.

Chocolate covered Strawberries RECIPE

Chocolate Strawberries Dipped in Dark and White Chocolate

These chocolate strawberries are dipped in dark chocolate first. Then you let these chocolate strawberries cool completely before drizzling with white chocolate. Covered strawberries recipes don't much tastier than these two-tone chocolate strawberries.

Ingredients:

• 2 6 oz. dark chocolate bars (or 12 oz. dark chocolate)
• 1 tsp. butter
• 1 quart strawberries
• 6 oz. white chocolate candy melts or white chocolate chips

Preparation:

1. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper or parchment paper.


2. Break up chocolate, and place in the top of a double-boiler with butter. Melt completely. Or place chocolate pieces and butter in a microwave-safe container and heat on 50% power for 30 seconds. Stir and repeat until melted.


3. Meanwhile, wash strawberries and dry well with a paper towel. Chocolate strawberries need to be dry for the chocolate to adhere to the strawberries.


4. Holding strawberries by the stem, dip in chocolate, coating strawberries well. Let excess chocolate drip off strawberries. Place chocolate strawberries on prepared baking sheet to cool completely.


5. Place white chocolate candy melts or chips in a microwave-safe container. Heat on 50% power for 30 seconds. Stir and repeat until melted. With a fork, drizzle white chocolate over chocolate strawberries. There's no need to take chocolate strawberries off the baking sheet. Just let the excess white chocolate drizzle onto the waxed paper.


6. Let chocolate strawberries cool completely. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes 1 quart dark and white chocolate strawberries.

Homemade Chocolate Covered Raisins

Only 3 ingredients!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips ( organic, because it tastes so much better!)
• 1/2 tbsp coconut oil (it really thins out the chocolate and makes it easy to coat)
• Approx 1.5 cups raisins

Directions: Place chocolate chips and coconut oil in a medium sized bowl and heat for approx. 1 minute on high in the microwave. Stir very well until all clumps are gone. Now take the raisins, 1/2 cup at a time and stir into the chocolate. Pour raisin mixture onto a large plate lined with parchment paper and spread into a thin layer. Place in freezer to firm for about 5-10 minutes. Break apart the raisins with fingers and serve! Keep leftovers in the fridge.

Banana with Dark Chocolate-Honey Sauce

Ingredients

2 tablespoons bittersweet chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
Small pinch of salt
1 small banana, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 teaspoon chopped toasted walnuts

Directions
In a double boiler or microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate with the honey, butter, and salt, stirring frequently. Serve the chocolate sauce and walnuts in bowls for dipping, accompanied by the banana chunks.

Chocolate Pudding made with......

AVOCADO!!!!

Chocolate Pudding (made with Avocado!)

• 1 ripe avocado
• 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 4 tsp agave nectar (can use sugar)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 Tbsp milk

Dice avocado and place all ingredients into a small food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy. Dish into serving bowls and garnish with whipped cream, if desired. Makes 1 large or 2 small servings.

Vegan Black Bean Brownies (Low Fat too)

Black Bean Brownies Recipe

Servings: 9

Description:

Dense, fudge-y and ultra-healthy, these brownies are a great alternative to traditional brownies! It's amazing how they taste like chocolate and fudge and not beans! Chef's Notes: Rolled oats run through the food processor may substituted for the instant oats. Use optional sugar if your bananas are still green and not very ripe.

Ingredients:

• 15 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 whole bananas
• agave nectar or honey (1/3 cup)
  
• unsweetened cocoa (1/4 cup)
  
• cinnamon (1 Tablespoon)
  
• vanilla extract (1 teaspoon)
  
• ¼ cup instant oats

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease an 8x8" pan and set aside. Combine all ingredients, except oats, in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth, scrapping sides as needed. Stir in the oats and pour batter into the pan. Bake approximately 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool before slicing. Chef's Note: if you find these brownies are too soft or too fudge-y, add another 1/4 cup oats or flour.

I made the Chocolate-berry Quesadilla

Okay....now this was just amazingly delicious! I do not feel in the slightest guilty for that little bit of chocolate on it either. YUM!
I used the whole wheat tortilla wrap.
Cut up a banana and strawberry.
Cinnamon sprinkled all over it too!

First I put it in a pan and heated it for 1 minute on each side.
Then i put some banana inside.
Then I heated it for 30 more secs in the pan.
I melted a few dark chocolate Choc. Chips and drizzled that on top
And sprinkled cinnamon all over and added a little more banana and a couple strawberries!

Chocolate-Almond Macaroons

With five cookies in a serving, these light and crunchy treats make for a long-lasting sweet snack! From the Flat Belly Diet Cookbook.

Some macaroons blur the line between candy and cookie, but with the addition of ground almonds, these indulgences are even more satisfying.

TIME: 50 minutes

SERVINGS: 6

3/4 c blanched almonds (MUFA)

1/2 c sugar substitute, divided
4 egg whites
1/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp salt

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Toast the almonds in a large deep skillet over medium heat, stirring often, for about 3 minutes or until golden. Tip into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade.

3. Add 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Process until the almonds are finely ground.

4. Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on high speed until the whites hold soft peaks. Gradually beat in the remaining sugar until the whites hold stiff peaks. Beat in the cocoa, vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt. Gently fold in the almonds.

5. Drop the mixture by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving 1" between each macaroon. Bake for 27 to 30 minutes or until very lightly browned. Place baking sheets on a rack and let macaroons cool until firm.

Nutrition Info Per Serving (5 cookies): 193 calories, 7 g protein, 22 g carbohydrates, 10 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 140 mg sodium, 3 g fiber

Chocolate Zucchini Snack Cake

Kids will love this "hidden" veggie cake! From the Flat Belly Diet Cookbook.


Allowing the chips to melt on a warm cake results in a lovely chocolate spread that helps this otherwise lean cake stay moist.

TIME: 45 minutes

SERVINGS: 12

1 and 3/4 c whole wheat pastry flour
1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 c Natural Sweetener
1/2 c low-fat vanilla yogurt
1/3 c canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 and 1/2 c shredded zucchini
3 c semisweet chocolate chips, divided (MUFA)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat an 11" x 8" baking pan with cooking spray.

2. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.

3. Whisk the eggs, sugar, yogurt, oil, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl. Whisk in the zucchini and 11/2 cups of the chips. Stir into the flour mixture just until blended. Spread into the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned and a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

4. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups chips over the cake. Spread with a small spatula as they melt to form an icing, placing back into the warm oven, if needed, for about 1 minute.

Nutrition Info Per Serving (1/12 of cake): 361 Cal, 5 g pro, 47 g carbs, 17 g fat, 4 g fiber, 175 mg sodium

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Chocolate-berry Quesadilla

I am sooooo gonna try this....but I am going to use a different kind of fruit...other than cranberries.

TIME: 10 minutes

Serves: 1

1 whole wheat tortilla (8" diameter)
1/4 c chopped semisweet chocolate chips (MUFA)
1 Tbsp dried unsweetened cranberries

Cinnamon

1. Place a skillet over medium-high heat. Place the tortilla in the pan.

2. Toast for 1 minute on each side or until warm but still pliable.

3. Sprinkle on the chips and cranberries. Dust lightly with cinnamon.

4. Fold over like an omelet. Flip and cook for 30 seconds or until the chocolate starts to melt.

5. Cut into 4 wedges.

Nutrition Info Per Serving: 332 Cal, 4 g pro, 54 g carbs, 14 g fat, 4 g fiber, 241 mg sodium

Chocolate Oatmeal

Now I know some eyebrows are going up seeing the word "Chocolate".

I was not happy, when i opened up the skim milk that i bought recently and it is supposed to be good for another week, but it is sour. So I had to make my oatmeal with water.

Here is what is in my oatmeal today:

1/2 Kroger 100% Whole Grain Oats
1 cup Filtered Water
1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 banana
1/2 scoop Vanilla protein powder
1 packet of PureVia (natural sweetener)
1 teaspoon of natural unsweetened cocoa