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Ultra decadent, yet healthy double chocolate chia pudding! Whip together this easy breakfast or snack in no time at all. Top this rich and extra chocolatey treat off with fresh berries, whipped cream, or what the heck – even more chocolate!

chocolate chia pudding in cups with whipped cream and chopped chocolate on top

What You’ll Need To Make This Double Chocolate Chia Pudding

  • Non-Dairy Milk – Use any non-dairy milk you’d like! I used the Elmhurst Almond Milk since it’s what I had on-hand, and I love their simple ingredients (literally just almonds and water). Though whichever non-dairy milk you use, make sure it’s completely unsweetened. The maple syrup in this plant-based recipe yields all the sweetness we need.

  • Maple Syrup – This unrefined sweetener is slightly lower on the glycemic index than white sugar, meaning it’s less likely to cause that awful sugar spike, then crash. I absolutely love maple syrup, and use it whenever possible! It’s super versatile, perfectly sweet, and has this caramel-y flavor that is to-die-for. However, if you don’t have maple syrup, you can use honey or date syrup in its place.

  • Cocoa Powder – Unsweetened cocoa powder, that is! While most cocoa powders are unsweetened, there are a select few on grocery store shelves that have sugar in them. So learn from my mistakes here, and don’t accidentally throw the sweetened kind into your cart. Ghirardelli and Hershey both make very good unsweetened cocoa powders. And if you want to make this vegan recipe even healthier, then use cacao powder instead. Cacao is less processed than cocoa, and is chock-full of vitamins and minerals.

  • Chia Seeds – These tiny black seeds are the star of our double chocolate chia pudding recipe! Chia seeds are a superfood (for reasons I’ll get into in the next section), are gluten-free, and can be found at most grocery stores. Though if you can’t find chia seeds at your local grocery store, try a health store or vitamin shop instead. Also, Amazon sells pounds of them!
spoon scooping chocolate chia pudding out of a cup

Are Chia Seeds Healthy?

Yes, chia seeds are super duper healthy! They’re loaded with all sorts of nutrients, such as:

  • Iron – increases energy and focus.
  • Manganese – essential for bone health and development.
  • Phosphorus – repairs damaged muscle and bones.
  • Selenium – protects against cell damage and infection.
  • Magnesium – boosts heart health and helps regulate blood pressure.
  • Calcium – vital to building and maintaining strong bones.

They’re also a great source of plant-based protein, fiber, and healthy fats!

Toppings/Add-Ins

  • Protein Powder
  • Chocolate Chips
  • Fresh Berries
  • Sliced Banana
  • Peanut Butter
  • Hemp Seeds
  • Chopped Nuts
  • Granola
5 from 1 vote

Double Chocolate Chia Pudding

Ultra decadent, yet healthy double chocolate chia pudding! Whip together this easy breakfast or snack in no time at all. Top this rich and extra chocolatey treat off with fresh berries, whipped cream, or what the heck – even more chocolate!
Print Rate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 cups non-dairy milk
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/2 cup chia seeds
  • 1/4 cup chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

Instructions

  • Whisk together the milk, maple syrup, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and salt in a bowl.
  • Add in chia seeds and chocolate chips, stir once to combine, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
  • Once thick, remove from the fridge and give chia pudding a stir before serving.

Notes

  • Nutrition

    Calories: 300kcal

    These paleo brownies are total perfection! Extra chocolatey and extremely indulgent, yet are entirely gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free.

    overhead image of paleo brownies with milk and cocoa powder on the side

    What You’ll Need

    Almond Flour – Be sure to use almond flour, and not almond meal in these paleo brownies! Almond flour is ground much finer than meal, resulting in a lighter and overall better brownie. I’ve tried many different brands of almond flour and truly loved them all. Trader Joe’s makes a great almond flour, as does Costco. Almond flour was once hard to come by, but thankfully, it’s sold in most grocery stores these days!

    Almond Butter – Almond butter makes these brownies exceptionally rich and delicious! Don’t worry though, your brownies won’t at all taste like almonds. Almond butter also gives these brownies structure, in the absence of gluten or grains.

    Coconut Sugar – This unrefined sugar is a paleo-friendly alternative to regular white sugar. Also, unflike white sugar, coconut sugar contains vitamins, minerals, and even fiber. The fiber in particular aids in slowing down the absorption of sugar in our body, placing it lower on the glycemic index. Basically, what this means is you’re less likely to experience that sugar spike and crash with coconut sugar, than with refined white sugar.

    three paleo brownies stacked on top of each other

    Top Tips

    • Let the brownies cool slightly before cutting! Trust me, I understand the temptation of wanting to dive straight into a pan of brownies as soon as they’re out of the oven. But try your best to fight those urges and let the paleo brownies cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing. This’ll help them hold their shape!
    • Bring any chilled ingredients to room temperature before getting started. If the eggs, for example, are too cold, they’ll cause the melted coconut oil to seize up and harden in the batter. Therefore, place all ingredients out on the counter about an hour before diving into this recipe!

    Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

    Make it Vegan: Simply swap out the eggs for 2 flax eggs (1 flax egg = 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal + 3 tablespoons water) for vegan paleo brownies!

    Make it Nut-Free: I haven’t tested this version myself yet, but you can try using sunflower seed butter in place of the almond butter and 1/4 cup of coconut flour in place of the almond flour. If you give this nut-free version a try, please let me know how it is!

    close up image of the inside of paleo brownies
    5 from 1 vote

    Perfect Paleo Brownies

    These paleo brownies are total perfection! Extra chocolatey and extremely indulgent, yet are entirely gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free.
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Servings: 16 servings

    Ingredients

    • 2 eggs, at room temperature
    • 1/2 cup almond butter
    • 1/2 cup coconut sugar
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1/2 cup almond flour
    • 3/4 cup cocoa powder
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 cup chocolate chips, optional

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit and line or grease a 9×9-inch baking dish.
    • Add eggs, almond butter, coconut sugar, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla extract to a large bowl and beat together either by hand or with an electric mixer.
    • Add in almond flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt and mix until completely smooth and combined. Fold chocolate chips into brownie batter.
    • Transfer batter to your prepared baking dish and bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool slightly before slicing and serving.

    Notes

  • Leftover paleo brownies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
  • Nutrition

    Calories: 300kcal

    This gluten-free brownie brittle recipe is insanely crunchy and chocolatey! A fun twist on traditional brownies, you’ll quickly become addicted to this crispy treat. Surprisingly easy to make, pull this recipe out the next time you’re craving something sweet! Dairy-free & vegan option included!

    One day, while I was elbow-deep in a bag of store-bought brownie brittle I thought, I can make this! And, better yet, I can make it gluten AND dairy-free. So that’s exactly what I did. I can’t lie though, during the recipe development phase I was worried that the whole baking process might be a bit too difficult. But to my surprise, it was SUPER easy! I even made this same brownie brittle recipe a few times, waiting for something to go wrong, but it never did. I got perfect brownie brittle every single time.

    And just in case you’ve never had brownie brittle before – it tastes kinda like a chocolate-er, crunchier cocoa puff. Soft, fudgy brownies definitely have a special place in my heat …but so does this brownie brittle. It’s a totally different, exciting, and freaking delicious experience. I just love it, and I’m sure you will too!

    What You Need To Make Gluten-Free Brownie Brittle

    • Sugar – If you know me by now, you know I use coconut sugar whenever possible. I made no exception for this brownie brittle recipe. Though you can use whatever kind of sugar you’d like!
    • Semisweet Chocolate Chips – I prefer Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Mini chocolate chips for this recipe. They’re dairy-free, but taste JUST like regular chocolate chips. You can of course use whatever chocolate chips you’d like. You can even use one cup of a chopped semi-sweet chocolate bar.
    • Neutral Tasting Oil – I used melted coconut oil in my recipe, but vegetable, canola, avocado, or even olive oil will work. We’re simply looking for an oil that you won’t be able to taste in the brittle. So anything with a super mild flavor will do!
    • Egg Whites – Yup that’s right, get rid of those yolks! The egg yolks make things soft and sort of cake-like, which is what we’re trying to avoid in this brownie brittle recipe. So either chuck the yolks or save them for your morning scramble.
    • Gluten-Free Flour – I’ve been using Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour for a few months now and have nothing bad to say about it. It’s a solid gluten-free flour that never fails to get the job done. You can use any 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, just please make sure it contains xantham gum.

    • Espresso Powder or Instant Coffee Granules – Espresso powder will enhance the chocolate in this delicious brownie brittle recipe!

    Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

    • Make it Vegan: I haven’t tried it, but a vegan egg-substitute might work in this recipe. If you try it, please let me know how your brownie brittle turns out!

    • Add Gluten: You can use regular all-purpose flour in place of the gluten-free flour in this recipe.

    Gluten-Free Brownie Brittle Recipe

    4 from 3 votes
    Recipe by Samantha Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
    Servings

    18

    pieces
    Prep time

    5

    minutes
    Cooking time

    30

    minutes
    Total time

    35

    minutes

    This gluten-free and dairy-free brownie brittle is insanely crunchy and chocolatey! A fun twist on traditional brownies, you’ll quickly become addicted to this crispy treat. Surprisingly easy to make, pull this recipe out the next time you’re craving something sweet!

    Ingredients

    • 1 Cup Sugar, see Notes

    • 1 Cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, divided

    • 1/4 Cup Neutral Tasting Oil, see Notes

    • 2 Egg Whites

    • 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

    • 1 Cup + 2 Tablespoons Gluten-Free Flour

    • 3 Tablespoons Cocoa Powder

    • 1/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda

    • 1/2 Teaspoon Espresso Powder or Instant Coffee Granules

    Directions

    • Preheat your oven to 350° Fahrenheit and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
    • In a medium bowl, microwave 1/2 cup of chocolate and ¼ cup of oil in 30-second intervals until chocolate has completely melted. Then stir in the sugar. Brownie Brittle Process Photo 1
    • Add in the egg whites and vanilla extract, mix to combine. Then fold in the gluten-free flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and espresso powder. Brownie Brittle Process Photo 2
    • Transfer batter to prepared baking sheet and spread into a thin layer (about 1/8-inch thick). Sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips and bake for 15 minutes. Brownie Brittle Process Photo 3
    • Remove from oven, slice into brownie brittle pieces, then bake for an additional 15 minutes. Brownie Brittle Process Photo 4
    • Remove from the oven, transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool completely. Break apart into pieces and enjoy.Brownie Brittle Process Photo 5

    Recipe Video

    Notes

    • Sugar: I used coconut sugar, but you can use either regular white sugar or can sugar if you’d like.
    • Neutral Tasting Oil: Refined coconut oil, vegetable oil, canola oil, or olive oil will all work!

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    More Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Desserts

    This healthy cookie dough is perfectly sweet and loaded with chocolate chips! With just 5 ingredients and in just 5 minutes, you’ll have a totally edible and good-for-you cookie dough. Sprinkle some of this healthy cookie dough over your favorite vegan ice cream for a healthier no-bake treat!

    scoops of healthy cookie dough on a baking sheet

    I’m sure we’ve all eaten raw cookie dough. I may or may not have purchased cookie dough in the past for the sole purpose of eating it raw. I know, don’t judge me! While I never thought twice about shoving spoonfuls of cookie dough in my mouth before it even had a chance to make it to the oven, there was always that little thought in the back of my mind like – this is SO not good for me. If anyone out there is like me and actually prefers raw cookie dough to the baked kind, then this recipe is for you!

    This isn’t just any edible cookie dough recipe, it’s HEALTHY edible cookie dough. So healthy, in fact, that you could even enjoy it as an afternoon snack if you’d like! Protein-rich almond flour, a dash of natural maple syrup, and healthy fat-packed coconut oil make this edible cookie dough the most nutritious of its kind. I personally love whipping together a small batch of this stuff at around 3pm on a Tuesday when I am in dire need of a pick-me-up. This healthy cookie dough tastes indulgent without leaving you feeling like you overindulged. Trust me when I tell you this, you NEED this better-for-you sweet treat in your life. And lucky for you, with just five ingredients and five minutes you can have this healthy cookie dough in your life!

    What You Need To Make Healthy Cookie Dough

    Almond Flour – Almond flour is becoming easier and easier to find at the grocery store these days. I love almond flour for most of my gluten-free baked goods and treats. It also does a darn good job as the base in this recipe. If you don’t already have a bag of almond flour on hand, I highly recommend you go pick one up. And when you do, make sure this vegan and gluten-free cookie dough recipe is the first thing you make with it. Though be sure to purchase almond flour, and not almond meal. Almond meal is not as fine as the flour and will result in a grainier dough.

    Coconut Oil – Coconut oil, like almond flour, is becoming increasingly easy to find at most major grocery stores. If you’re not a fan of that coconut flavor, try to use an ultra-refined coconut oil in this recipe. The refining process strips the oil of most, if not all of its flavor. If you don’t have coconut oil, you can easily use melted vegan butter or regular butter instead!

    Vegan Chocolate Chips – I use and LOVE the Enjoy Life Mini Chocolate Chips for this recipe. Enjoy Life’s chocolate is entirely dairy, nut, and soy-free. Making it the ultimate addition to this healthier recipe. However, feel free to use your favorite vegan chocolate chips in this recipe. You can even chop up a vegan chocolate bar into chunks and add that to your healthy cookie dough!

    Adjust This Recipe To Your Diet

    • Add Dairy: Use regular melted butter instead of coconut oil if you’re not vegan or dairy-free.
    • Make it Sugar-Free: Substitute the maple syrup for your favorite sugar-free syrup, or leave it out altogether. Also, be sure to use sugar-free or stevia-sweetened chocolate chips instead!

    Healthy Cookie Dough (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

    4 from 30 votes
    Recipe by Samantha Russo Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
    Servings

    2

    servings
    Prep time

    5

    minutes
    Cooking time

    0

    minutes
    Total time

    5

    minutes

    This healthy cookie dough is perfectly sweet and loaded with chocolate chips! With just 5 ingredients and in just 5 minutes, you’ll have a totally edible and good-for-you cookie dough. Sprinkle some of this healthy cookie dough over your favorite vegan ice cream for a healthier no-bake treat!

    Ingredients

    • 1 1/4 cups almond flour

    • 3 tablespoons maple syrup

    • 3 tablespoons coconut oil or vegan butter, melted

    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    • Pinch of salt

    • 1/4 cup vegan chocolate chips, see Notes

    Directions

    • Stir together all ingredients except chocolate chips, until combined.
    • Fold in the chocolate chips and serve.

    Recipe Video

    Notes

    • I used mini vegan chocolate chips in this recipe, though you can use any kind of chocolate chips or chunks you’d like!

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    Share it and tag @samdoesherbest on Instagram!

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    Other Healthier Dessert Recips

    No ice cream machine necessary for this easy three ingredient vegan chocolate ice cream! This non-dairy frozen dessert is perfectly chocolatey and sweet. With minimal time and effort, you’ll have an irresistible vegan summertime (or anytime!) treat.

    three cones of vegan chocolate ice cream lying on a table

    The Story Behind This Recipe

    What most people don’t know about me is that my first job ever was actually at an ice cream shop. I worked there almost all through high school (before my dairy-free days) and ate ice cream literally every. single. day. Ohhhh what I wouldn’t do to have my high school metabolism again! So as you can imagine, once I went dairy-free in college I deeply, and I mean DEEPLY, missed ice cream. Back then, vegan/dairy-free ice cream wasn’t much of a thing. My options were typically limited to sorbet, which is already made without dairy. And while sorbet definitely helped cool me down and curb my sweet tooth, I longed for a big ole’ cone of classic chocolate ice cream.

    These days, vegan ice cream isn’t nearly as hard to find, but what is hard to find is one that checks off all my boxes. I don’t want any funky ingredients such as fake sweeteners, gums, etc. Those cause just as much of a digestive nightmare for me as eating regular ole’ ice cream does. And most importantly, I don’t want to have to sell a kidney to afford it! The better the ingredient list, the more expensive it almost always is. Therefore, I came up with this vegan chocolate ice cream to both suit my needs and save me some money (because it’s either my bi-weekly manicure or $10 pints of ice cream, and I’d choose the former any day!).

    The no-churn part of this recipe simply derived from the fact that I don’t own an ice cream maker. I’m looking into purchasing one now, but until I find one that doesn’t take up half of my freezer I will continue to make this no-ice-cream-machine-necessary recipe!

    What You Need to Make Vegan Chocolate Ice Cream

    Full Fat Coconut Milk – None of that low-fat or lite coconut milk here! We need all that luscious healthy fat to achieve a thick and smooth texture. You could even use two cans of coconut cream if you’d like, only adding to the creaminess of this vegan chocolate ice cream.

    Coconut Sugar – Coconut sugar keeps this three ingredient vegan chocolate ice cream completely refined sugar-free. This natural sweetener is more nutritious than regular sugar and contains 25% less sucrose than white sugar. Though if you don’t have coconut sugar, you can easily swap this out for cane sugar or white sugar if you’d like!

    Cocoa Powder – This ingredient seems pretty self-explanatory. However, I will say that if you’d like you can substitute cacao powder for the cocoa powder in this recipe. Cacao has more nutrients and antioxidants than cocoa powder and would make this three ingredient vegan chocolate ice cream that much healthier.

    Vegan No-Churn Chocolate Ice Cream (refined sugar-free)

    5 from 1 vote
    Recipe by Samantha Russo Course: DessertDifficulty: Easy
    Servings

    8

    servings
    Prep time

    5

    minutes
    Freezing time

    8

    hours

    No ice cream machine necessary for this easy three ingredient vegan chocolate ice cream! This non-dairy frozen dessert is perfectly chocolatey and sweet. With minimal time and effort, you’ll have an irresistible vegan summertime (or anytime!) treat.

    Ingredients

    • 2 (14 ounce) cans full fat coconut milk or coconut cream, see Notes

    • 1/2 cup coconut sugar

    • 1/2 cup cocoa powder

    Directions

    • Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
    • Transfer to a parchment-lined container and freeze for 8 hours or until firm.
    • Remove ice cream from freezer 10-15 minutes before serving.

    Recipe Video

    Notes

    • Coconut Milk: I used Let’s Do Organic heavy coconut cream for this recipe, but any full-fat coconut milk or cream will work!

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    More Delicious Vegan Desserts