Gluten-Free Cinnamon & Sugar Pretzels

Let me start off by warning you that these pretzels are super addicting. Now you can't say I didn't warn you. 

The combination of coconut sugar and cinnamon is my new fav thing. It is amazing on any sweet treat. Add a bit of sea salt...and instantly you have transformed something boring into something fabulous.

Since going gluten-free {we went 100% overnight just a few weeks ago due to my son's allergy} I haven't had time to make my own snacks. I'm just now starting to get creative and it's really fun. But until now, my family has been trying everything you can imagine from the gluten-free snack isle - just out of pure curiosity and excitement. I wanted this transition to be easy and FUN for my boys so we bought a few packaged goodies that we wouldn't normally buy {wink}. They were excited about that. 

You'd be surprised at how BAD FOR YOU these gluten-free snacks can be and there might not be gluten in there but there's a whole lotta other crappola! Wow. Anyways...

Pretzels!!!!! Who would have thought that the gluten-free versions we were much better than the regular ones? Glutino makes these amazing little snacks and we are so happy they do.

MAYBE it's simply just because I haven't eaten pretzels in years? Who knows.

Anyhow, I decided today to dress these little-gluten-free-bites up a bit and surprise my kids with a new treat after school {these are so quick and easy to make}. Boy are they in for a wonderful treat...

CINNAMON & SUGAR PRETZELS

3-4 cups gluten-free pretzels

1 Tbls cinnamon

2-3 Tbls coconut sugar

coconut oil spray {yes, the spray}

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a small bowl combine cinnamon and sugar until well mixed. In a large pan pour in the pretzels. Coat them VERY Well with coconut oil spray. Tossing them and being sure to cover them completely. Immediately sprinkle the sugar/cinnamon mixture so that each pretzels gets some. You can toss them and keep going until you've used up all your mix. 

Cook these little guys for about 25 minutes. Stirring once or twice. They are ready once cooled.

Enjoy!

Vegan Carob Ganache

Today I'm sharing my carob pudding recipe with you all. I'm giving you 2 variations using the same ingredients, but in different amounts.

One is a softer "yogurt" or pudding style dish. And the other is more of a dense gourmet truffle.

If you follow me on instagram, you will know that I snapped a pic of the pudding variation. It's so good. My kids are obsessed with this. I store it in little containers/cups and they can grab it from the fridge as a snack or a dessert. I don't feel guilty about it either seeing as though there's no white sugar, no gluten, no dairy and there's even NO chocolate {caffeine}. It took them a few bites before they actually got used to the truffle taste. But once they did, it's all they ask for. 

My kids actually like the dense truffle texture better than the pudding. But, personally I vote for the pudding, hands down.

You can encourage your child to make this recipe with you. It's very easy to make and kids LOVE the sauce when it's being poured into the cups. You'll see my son is pouring the mixture into cups. He made a huge mess but it was so fun. {wink}

CAROB GANACHE RECIPES

makes 3 servings

Pudding Variation

1/2 cup water

2 Tbls cashew butter {store bought or homemade}

1/2 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup carob powder

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 vanilla bean {scraped} - optional

In a high speed blender combine all the above ingredients. The coconut oil should be in its liquid state {to do this, put the jar in a pan with water. Heat the water just enough until the coconut oil turns into a liquid}. The mixture will be similar to a chocolate sauce in texture and consistency. 

Pour into small jars or cups and refrigerate overnight.

Rich Truffle Variation

3/4 cup water or coconut water

2 Tbls cashew butter {store bought or homemade}

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup carob powder

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 vanilla bean {scraped} - optional

In a high speed blender combine all the above ingredients. The coconut oil should be in its liquid state {to do this, put the jar in a pan with water. Heat the water just enough until the coconut oil turns into a liquid}. The mixture will be similar to a chocolate sauce in texture and consistency. 

In fact, the consistency of both recipes will be the same until after they are refrigerated. The amount of coconut oil versus water determines the final product because coconut oil thickens when cold. 

Note: you can use chocolate if you'd like. It would be decadent and amazing. I like the taste of carob.

You can add coconut on top or anything really! Goji berries? Hemp seeds? Even sprinkles - if it gets your child to try a new food - why not?

VALENTINE'S DAY CRAFT #2

You might remember my Valentine's day {part 1} post from a few weeks ago: Painting with Beet Juice! 

Today I'm using the same baggies/envelopes I had purchased from Paper Source but this time stuffing them with love notes and toys for my sons' preschool class. I figured instead of chocolate {we all know they will be getting enough of that} to put something else fun inside...

And this project gets the kids involved. It's really easy and inexpensive. No glues. No messy beet juice or paint or glitter.

I bought almost everything except for the baggies/envelopes at Target from the $1 section {some of the stickers I already had at home}; Including the stickers and the bouncy balls. See below for simple step by step instructions. 

You can stuff the baggies with stickers if you have extras. Kids love stickers. And instead of glitter inside, the stickers {individual with paper backs on them} make fun usable confetti.

If you want to add candy or chocolate, you can do that as well. It's totally up to you.

Juli Makes Yogurt :: Alexis' Recipe

Today was so fun, I spent the morning making a really delicious, easy raw vegan yogurt. I have been trying all sort of different recipes lately and none of which were good enough to write about {seriously}. 

But today, I am unveiling a super delish one from the one-and-only Alexis {remember her, I did her raw juice/soup cleanse for a few days?}, who by the way, has a blog coming out soon. I will keep you posted on that. 

I didn't use the lemon juice because I think for the first time in my life, I had no lemons in my fridge {wink}. So, instead of making a trip to the store, I just left it out. And also note, I used strong acidophilus instead of the kefir mix.

I didn't culture it for very long before trying it and wow, it tasted good even without being cultured. 

I also used Alexis' yogurt to make a vegan squash parfait {recipe and pics to come} so, stay tuned.

Alexis' Cultured Coconut Yogurt Recipe

The meat from 3-4 young thai coconuts
1/2 cup of young thai coconut water
3 TBSP honey (Sage is my favorite)
1/2 TSP Probiotic Bio-culture master blend  (or Kefir starter)
Squeeze of Lemon juice
pinch of sea salt

Blend all ingredients in high speed blender.  Then let sit out in a slightly cracked sealed container (so some air can flow through) for at least 12-24 hours.  The longer you leave it out the more sour and fermented it will become!

Then stick in the fridge and enjoy with fresh seasonal fruit and your favorite herbs, spices and superfoods.  I love it with Goji berries :) AHHHHmazing

About the Bio-culture master blend

It is a mix of highly stabilized species of Lactobacilli Bacterium: L. salivarius and L. plantarum. Two of the most important bacteria for maintaining a healthy colon, normalizing intestinal pH, relieving intestinal toxemia, and inhibiting growth of unhealthy bacteria such as salmonella, E. coli, staph, and strep. 

Aids in balancing and restoring normal healthy intestinal flora, which research indicates could greatly reduce conditions that cause disease.

I love this brand in Particular because of the cost (I get it for pretty much wholesale) but ALSO because I can make all my cultured dishes with it: Kefirs, yogurts, kim-chi, etc!