Spiced Hot Chocolate with Vanilla Whipped Cream

by Linda Spiker

https://www.theorganickitchen.org/spiced-hot-chocolate-with-vanilla-whipped-cream-yes-more-comfort-food/

Prep Time

3 mins

Cook Time

5 mins

Total Time

8 mins

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

Hot Chocolate:

• 3 cups 2% milk (my raw milk drinking friends...knock yourselves out! It will be really rich but you are used to that!
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2/3 cup Bittersweet Chocolate chips 60% cacao
• 1/3 cup milk chocolate chips
• 2 tsp vanilla paste (can use same amount of vanilla)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 small pinch sea salt
  
  

Vanilla Whipped Cream:

• 1/2 pint heavy whipping cream
• 1 tsp vanilla paste
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar or liquid stevia drops to taste

Instructions

Hot Chocolate:

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium sized pot on medium heat. Stir with a whisk till chocolate is melted and all ingredients are blended well. When milk/cream mixture is steaming remove from heat. Pour into mugs and top with vanilla whipped cream.

Whipping Cream:

1. Place cream in large bowl and whisk by hand or use mixer till cream is slightly thick. Add vanilla and sugar. Continue beating till desired consistency.
   
   
   

   
   
   

Mango FroYo

 Mango FroYo

1 1/4-1 1/2 cups frozen mango (200 grams)

1/2-3/4 cup greek yogurt or coconut milk/cream (150 grams)

1 scoop of vanilla protein powder (I've used regular whey as well as collagen)

Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend until a smooth consistency. If using coconut milk, blend mango alone first or the coconut milk might spray out. 

If using collagen powder, only add it in after the consistency is smooth, and pulse in for a few seconds (or longer if texture isn't right yet). 

With yogurt it tastes like mango marshmallow cream. It's amazing.

Shredded BBQ Chicken

• 
  1/2 cup chicken stock or water (up to 1 cup if very thick bbq sauce
• 3 lbs chicken thighs (or however many come in the organic Costco pack) 
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups BBQ sauce
• 1/2 chopped onion
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (optional, did not have so did not use)

Instructions

• Place the ingredients in the instant pot in this order: chicken stock (or water), chicken, onion powder, garlic, powder, paprika, salt, BBQ sauce, onion, and Worcestershire sauce. Do NOT stir. You want the water to stay on the bottom of the pot so the instant pot comes to pressure.
• Place the lid on the instant pot making sure the valve is in the sealing position. Press manual (high pressure) and set to 15 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes. Add more BBQ sauce if desired. Shred and enjoy on sandwiches, salads, rice, BBQ plates and more!

based on https://meaningfuleats.com/instant-pot-bbq-chicken/

Sicilian Chicken

Ingredients:

1 TBSP avocado oil 

 

5-6 

bone-less skin-less chicken thighs 

 

salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 

cloves garlic, minced

 

1 tbsp. 

fresh thyme leaves or rosemary (or a handful of fresh thyme twigs that you can pick out later because I'm too lazy to strip the leaves off)

 

1 tsp. 

crushed red pepper flakes (optional, did not use)

 

3/4 c. 

chicken broth

 

1/2 c. 

heavy cream or coconut cream

 

1/2 c. 

chopped sun-dried tomatoes

 

1/4-1/2 c. 

freshly grated Parmesan

 (optional)

Freshly torn basil, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375°. In a large oven-safe skillet (like a cast iron pan) over medium-high heat, heat oil. Season chicken generously with salt and pepper and sear, skin-side down, until golden, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate and pour off half the fat from skillet (there may be no fat if using skinless thighs).

1. Return skillet to medium heat and add garlic, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Cook until fragrant, 1 minute, then stir in broth, heavy cream, sun-dried tomatoes, and Parmesan and season with more salt. Bring to a simmer, then return chicken to skillet, skin-side up.

1. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until chicken is cooked through (and juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a knife), 17 to 20 minutes.

1. Garnish with basil and serve.
2. If sauce is too liquidy make a roux. I used 1 tbsp flour (I used gluten free) and 1 tbsp butter, stirred, after it got bubbly I stirred for 1 minute, then added as much sauce as I could. Stirred for 3-5 minutes and returned to the pan with the chicken. 

Serve with garlic mashed potatoes, green beans or broccoli, and/or a salad!

https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a46330/skillet-sicilian-chicken-recipe/

Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

INGREDIENTS

•  5 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled (optional, I did not peel), rinsed and quartered
•  2 teaspoons salt
•  1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese 
•  4 tablespoons butter (OR MORE)
•  ¾ cup milk (I didn't have milk, so I put in like 1/8 cup of almond milk and it was fine)
•  Salt and pepper to taste
• A whole head of roasted garlic
• 
  
• INSTRUCTIONS

1. To roast the garlic: Peel off much of the outside paper of the head of garlic, trim the pointy end off (make sure all big cloves are opened), place open area face up on a piece of aluminum foil and drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil, fold sides of foil up to enclose the garlic completely and cook in a 400 degree oven for 40 minutes. 
2. 
   
3. For the mashed potatoes, In a large pot, place the potatoes and cover with water (by at least two inches). Add the salt. Bring to a boil, and cook the potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and return to the hot pot.
4. 
   
5. Begin mashing the potatoes. Add the butter and mash in to the potatoes. Add the milk, cheese, roasted garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Mash until the potatoes are smooth. Serve immediately.

HTTPS://WWW.MELSKITCHENCAFE.COM/ROASTED-GARLIC-AND-PARMESAN-MASHED-POTATOES/

Instant Pot BEEF SHANK (OSSO BUCCO)

 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 teaspoon avocado oil
• 3 thick beef shank slices
• salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced (optional)
• 1 carrot, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 sprigs thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2-1 cup chicken stock (preferably homemade)
• 1/4-1/2 cup dry white wine (optional, can just use more chicken stock)
• 15 oz can diced tomatoes

Gremolata (optional)

• 1 clove garlic, minced
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1 cup parsley leaves

Trim all the fat you can from the outside of the beef shanks. Season the shanks generously with salt and pepper. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil on sauté in the instant pot until hot. Add 1-2 shanks and sear for 3 minutes per side, or until well browned. Remove the browned shanks to a bowl or plate. Add the remaining shanks to the pot, and sear for 3 minutes per side. Move the second batch into to the bowl. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the oil and fat in the cooker (I had no oil/fat and had to add some more at this point for the veggies). 

Sauté the the onion, celery, carrot, garlic, tomato paste, and thyme in the instant pot. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Sauté for five minutes, or until the onions are softened. Add the chicken stock and wine to the pot and scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits from the bottom.

Pressure cook the shanks: Add the shanks and any liquid in their bowl back into the pot. Submerge the shanks in the liquid as much as possible. Pour the tomatoes on top, but don’t stir. Lock the lid on the pressure cooker, cook on manual high heat for 36 minutes. Do a natural release for 15 minutes, then quick release any pressure left in the pot.

Prepare the gremolata: While the shanks are cooking, make the gremolata. Mince the garlic, lemon zest, and parsley leaves together, then toss in a small bowl to combine. (I probably won't make this again. It was fine, but I didn't feel like it added much to the dish and I think I prefer it without). 

Delicious with garlic mashed potatoes

https://www.dadcooksdinner.com/pressure-cooker-beef-shank-osso-bucco/

Zucchini Boats

4 zucchinis (one per person)
2 chicken breasts
1 onion
2-3 tomatoes or a bunch of grape tomatoes
3-4 garlic cloves
Parmesan Cheese (grated), enough to sprinkle on each boat
Mozzarella Cheese (grated), enough to sprinkle on each boat
Bacon (optional)
Avocado oil
Spaghetti sauce (optional)

Spices:
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Italian Seasoning
Basil (fresh or dried)
Oregano

Parchment paper

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
Things to chop up to small pieces (separated): chicken, onion, tomatoes, garlic, bacon
Season chopped chicken with salt and pepper
Cut zucchinis in half and scoop out insides
Rub some avocado oil in each zucchini half and salt/pepper
Put zucchini halves on parchment paper upside down and cook for 10 minutes
Sauté onions in avocado oil until translucent, add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds
Add chicken and bacon
Add tomatoes when the chicken is close to being done
Season along the way with additional seasonings listed above
You can add spaghetti sauce to all of the chicken, none of the chicken, or half of the chicken

When zucchini is done remove it from the oven and flip it over and fill each half with chicken mixture
Sprinkle parmesan and then mozzarella on top of the chicken
Bake for 6 more minutes or until cheese is bubbly

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Almond Butter Cookies

Chocolate Chip Almond Butter Cookies

1 Cup of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

1 Cup of Almond Butter

1 Cup of Light Brown Sugar

1 Egg

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda

Simply mix all 5 ingredients in a bowl, form small round balls, and bake at 350 degrees for 9-10 minutes.  They will be soft when you take them out and will harden a bit when they cool-- be careful not to over bake them. Let them sit for 10-15 minutes on the tray. 

Kelli Note: Cooked the above way for ME created cookies that were too puffy and soft to even pick up, so I flattened them and cooked them for 12 minutes (and let them sit on the tray for 10 minutes) and they were perfect.

jessicarey.com/blogs/news/71051077-almond-butter-cookies

Chocolate Avocado Pudding

Chocolate Avocado Pudding

Ingredients

•  1 cup unsweetened almond milk
•  2 ripe avocados peeled and pitted
•  1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
•  1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
•  2 teaspoons vanilla extract
•  1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional, I didn't use)
•  Pinch of sea salt
• Alternative ingredients: dates, frozen cherries, coconut milk
•  Raspberries for garnish

Instructions

1. Put the almond milk, avocados, cocoa, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt into your blender and puree on high for 30 to 60 seconds, until smooth and creamy. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides with a spatula.
2. Transfer the pudding to glasses, ramekins, or jars and chill in the fridge.
3. To serve, top each pudding with fresh raspberries.
4. Note-the pudding works best with ripe avocados that don't have any brown discolorations. The pudding is best the day it's made, as the avocados will oxidize and the flavors will change over time.

I only had 1/4 cup of maple syrup so I added 3 dates (could do more), plus a handful of frozen cherries, and a bit more almond milk. Could also add coconut milk!