Fragrant Vanilla Cake

Tag: CBD

  • Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Pop Tarts

    Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Pop Tarts

        

    I loved Nutella as a kid.  I remember thinking it was pretty awesome that I could have chocolate on toast for breakfast (because it pretty much just tasted like chocolate with not much nut flavor since it is so sugary).  It is pretty much dessert after all.  My Mom wouldn’t let me eat it all the time for that reason, and so it felt like a treat.  I still love the chocolate hazelnut combination and even make my own nutella sometimes, but it is definitely a healthier version with hazelnuts as the first ingredient and not sugar.  

    There are a few vegan nutella brands that I like too, like the Rawmio Chocolate Hazelnut Spread and CBD Chocolate Hazelnut Butter from Raw Guru.   They are delicious just with a spoon or in recipes.  They recently sent me some of the CBD Chocolate Hazelnut Butter and I decided to make some pop tarts with it.  Pop tarts were another thing I loved growing up, and I enjoy making home made ones.  They are way better than the store bought versions ever were, more like mini hand pies because the crust actually tastes good. I thought nutella ones would be heavenly!

    So I made my classic flakey coconut oil pie crust for the outside, and used that hazelnut butter for the filling.  They actually were pretty quick and easy to make, since I already had the hazelnut butter.  But if you would rather make your own instead of using store bought I have included instructions at the bottom for that as well.  Don’t have hazelnut butter?  Use your favorite nut butter, it will still be amazing!  

    These smelled amazing while baking.  Like chocolate pie! I could not wait to try them!  But I let them cool down first, and then added a dark chocolate glaze.  Since pop tarts are just so much better with a glaze.  They were totally heavenly!  My 8 year old self would have loved them!  If you are a nutella fan, give these a try! 

    Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Pop Tarts

    Makes 8

    Crust:

    • 2 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
    • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 3/4 cup coconut oil in its solid state
    • about 6-7 Tbsp cold water (or as needed)

     

    Filling:

     

    Glaze:

    • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

     

    Instructions:

    1. To make the crust, in a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, and sea salt. Cut in coconut oil with a pastry blender or 2 knives until it is in pea sized pieces. Mix in just enough water to create a smooth dough that holds together but isn’t too sticky. Add more water if needed, and knead slightly until a smooth dough is created.
    2. Roll out into a large rectangle and cut into 16 identical rectangles.  Chill if too soft before assembling.  You want the dough a little pliable, but not so warm that it will break. Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Put the dough in the refrigerator for a few minutes if it seems too soft. 
    3. To assemble the pop tarts, spread about 2 Tbsp of the hazelnut butter on half of the dough rectangles (leaving a boarder so you can attach the dough at the sides). Cover with the remaining pieces of dough (I used a small spatula to carefully move them), pressing the edges and crimping with a fork or the edge of something with a flat edge, like a spatula. Bake for about 30 minutes until the crusts are starting to brown lightly. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack until warm.
    4. Melt the dark chocolate for the glaze in the top of a double boiler. Spoon some of the dark chocolate over each pop tart, and smooth it out to cover the top. Let harden before serving.

     

    *If you would prefer to make your own filling, you can mix together 1 cup hazelnut butter with 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder and 1/4 cup maple syrup (or to taste) and 1/4 tsp sea salt.

     

  • Vegan Banana Hazelnut Chocolate Pancakes

    Vegan Banana Hazelnut Chocolate Pancakes

    When you get a bunch of free bananas, you make banana goodies. Or freeze them for smoothies, but I already had some in the freezer so I made some banana bread pudding earlier this week, and then these banana hazelnut chocolate chip pancakes this weekend.  I guess I am in the mood for brunchy banana deliciousness.  I haven’t made pancakes in at least a few months so it was about time.  I actually decided to make them because I had a hectic long day at work after the holidays playing catch up and pancakes sounded like the perfect thing to calm down with.  There is something comforting about making pancakes and enjoying them in your PJs!

    I was going to go with just banana pancakes with caramel or syrup, but then I remembered that I had some Veggimins CBD Chocolate Hazelnut Spread from Raw Guru that I could drizzle over them. So I went with a banana chocolate chip hazelnut flavor combo.  I am one of those people who can’t just make plain anything so it isn’t surprising.  I love that these pancakes are so quick and easy to make so you can enjoy them fast!

    For the base, I used Bob’s Red Mill all purpose gluten free baking flour because it is what I happened to have on hand, but you could use whole wheat pastry flour if you don’t want them gluten free.  Next I added in bananas and maple syrup for sweetness plus some hazelnut butter for richness instead of oil.  Yes, these are oil free, and you would never guess by tasting them.  Lastly I stirred in some chocolate chips because why not?!

    They cooked up beautifully and smelled amazing and I could not wait to try them.  But first, I topped them off with bananas, some chopped hazelnuts and of course the Veggimins CBD Chocolate Hazelnut Spread.  I love that stuff, it is so good, and why not get your daily dose of CBD in chocolate form!  The pancakes were heavenly!  Sweet, filled with banana chocolate and hazelnut flavors and fluffy on the inside with gooey chocolate chips!  If you have some ripe bananas on hand, you know what to make now!

    Vegan Banana Hazelnut Chocolate Pancakes
    Makes 12

    Ingredients:

    Toppings:

     

    Directions:

    1. In a food processor, combine all pancake ingredients (except the chocolate chips) and process until just blended (alternatively you can whisk it if you don’t have a food processor), stir in the chocolate chips, pour into a bowl and set aside.
    2. To cook pancakes, preheat oven to 110 degrees. Heat a large ceramic non-stick* pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the batter in 1/4 cup amounts (I did 3 at a time, but it depends on your pan), and let cook for about 2-3 minutes on the first side until set and starting to brown, then flip with a spatula, and cook another 2-3 minutes.
    3. When cooked, place on a plate and keep warm in the oven while you repeat the process with the remaining pancakes.

    *If you don’t have the Veggimins CBD chocolate hazelnut spread, you can whisk together 1/4 cup hazelnut butter (or almond butter or your choice of nut or seed butter) with 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder and 3-4 Tbsp maple syrup (or as needed to make it pourable), plus a pinch of sea salt instead.

    *Note: If you do not own a non-stick pan, you may need to lightly oil your pan to prevent sticking, if you do not mind these not being oil free.

  • Vegan Hot Chocolate CBD Cupcakes 

    Vegan Hot Chocolate CBD Cupcakes 

    This post is sponsored by Weller CBD but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

    Tis’ the season for baking holiday treats, and although I love cookies, I thought some cupcakes were in order last weekend. We had just survived a snowstorm that lasted almost 3 days, and the sun was finally back out again so it was something to celebrate!  Not only that, this is my favorite time of year for baking, why not come in from outside and warm up the kitchen with something delicious baking in the oven.  Weller CBD recently sent me some of their CBD powdered drink mix to try and I loved it so I thought why not incorporate it into a baked good?!  I decided on some peppermint hot chocolate CBD cupcakes but more on those in a bit.  I love that Weller’s CBD Drink Mix can be added to any of your favorite drinks or recipes.  I had never heard of any CBD product like that.  Sometimes other brand’s oils and such have a strong flavor but this one doesn’t which is awesome for using in things like these cupcakes, or even just something like freshly squeezed orange juice!

    Not only do they carry CBD Powder, they also carry Sparkling Water and Coconut Bites as other fun ways to get in your daily dose of CBD.  The Sparkling water has 25mg of CBD per serving and the coconut bites have 5mg so whatever your dosage they have something for everyone!  All of their products are US grown, vegan and gluten free which is important to me as well, and why I love supporting companies like this one.  I use CBD daily in the morning and at night, usually in the form of oil so I was super excited about the Weller CBD Drink Mix as a new way to get my daily dose.   Each 1/4 tsp scoop has 10mg of CBD, so if you have a couple a day it is perfect!  I like to enjoy CBD daily for a sense of calm and overall well being.  It is an easy way to do something good for myself.

    Back to those cupcakes.  To start off I made a chocolate cake base that is really easy.  You just whisk it all together in a bowl, add a little apple cider vinegar to help it rise and pour it into the cupcake pans.  I added enough CBD powder so that each cupcake would have a 10mg serving of CBD. Also, I added a touch of peppermint for a seasonal twist, and because peppermint is so amazing with hot chocolate and just chocolate in general.  The batter tasted amazing even before I baked them.

    Once they were out of the oven, and my kitchen smelled so good I could not wait to try them.  But of course I had to let them cool first and add a delicious frosting.  Good frosting is essential to cupcakes after all, and I love mine piled high.  I made a rich and creamy frosting with coconut milk and cashew butter with a bit of cacao powder to make it chocolate plus some mint and it was sooo good!  But it was even better on the cupcakes.  They were heavenly!  Moist, soft chocolate cake with a luscious creamy chocolate frosting and a hint of mint, it is hard to eat just one.  Plus you get your daily dose of CBD in too!  Definitely give these a try and if you are interested in checking out the Weller CBD Products, you can do so on their website!

    Vegan Hot Chocolate CBD Cupcakes 

    Makes 16 cupcakes

    Ingredients:

    16 hole muffin pan, 16 silicone muffin tins, or foil muffin tins

    Cake batter:

    • 1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour*
    • 1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp Weller CBD drink mix 
    • 1 1/2 baking soda
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 1 cup coconut sugar
    • 2 cups full fat coconut milk (the thick kind, I prefer Thai Kitchen brand) at room temperature
    • 1 tsp peppermint extract
    • 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 2 Tbsp cider vinegar

     

    Frosting:

    • 1 1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk, at room temperature*
    • 1/2 cup raw cashew butter (or additional coconut cream from the top of the can for a nut free version)
    • 1/4 cup cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • pinch sea salt
    • 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
    • 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp coconut butter or melted cacao butter (NOT coconut OIL), warmed to liquid

     

    For Decorating:

    • Vegan Marshmallows
    • Vegan Chocolate Chips

     

    Instructions:

      1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
      2. Set out 16 muffin tins.
      3. Whisk flour, baking soda, sea salt, and sugar in a large bowl to blend well.
      4. Whisk coconut milk and peppermint extract together, then pour into the flour mixture and whisk until well blended.  Whisk in the cider vinegar until bubbles form
      5. Transfer cake batter to prepared tins and bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
      6. For the frosting, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until completely smooth. Pour into a bowl and place in the freezer until it is thick like whipped cream (whisking every so often), about 45 minutes to one hour.
      7. Spread the frosting on top of the cupcakes, top with marshmallows and chocolate chips and serve!

     

    *If you want to make these gluten free, swap the whole wheat pastry flour 1:1 with Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Baking Flour.  I have tried this brand and know it works well (I can not say the same for all other brands as I have not tried them).

    *For the coconut milk, you want a brand of coconut oil that is at least 2/3 to 3/4 of the can coconut cream or a can of unsweetened coconut cream or it will not work for the recipe.

  • Pumpkin Spice Hazelnut CBD Ice Cream Pops

    Pumpkin Spice Hazelnut CBD Ice Cream Pops

    Fall may be here, but it is still pretty warm outside so I am still in the mood for ice cream treats.  So I thought, why not make some fall flavored ones?!  I have been making a lot of apple and pear stuff lately, so this time I made pumpkin.  Plus we are almost into October, so we are in prime pumpkin season!  I could have made scoopable ice cream but I made ice cream pops instead.  I like that they are individually portioned so you can just pull one out when you want one.  Plus, I made these CBD ice cream pops since Raw Guru had recently sent me some of their Cinnamint CBD oil.  Because why not get your daily dose of CBD along with delicious ice cream?!

    I take CBD every day to help with inflammation, mood and overall well being, and sometimes I like to add it to my recipes as well as just take it plain. I like the Veggimins brand because it is good quality and it tastes better than some other brands.  I have added it to my ice cream pops in the past with good results, so I knew it would work well in this recipe.  I was going to make these just plain pumpkin spice ice cream, but I thought that hazelnut would be delicious with the pumpkin and spices so I added that in as well in the form of hazelnut butter.

    The base for these was heavenly.  It tasted like a really good pumpkin spice milk shake.    First, I added in full fat coconut to make these rich.  They are ice cream after all and I like my ice cream to taste like it and I am really picky about the texture, it has to be smooth. I feel that coconut milk does the best job of this.  Next, I added in some canned pumpkin which I already happened to have on hand from another recipe.  Then the smooth hazelnut butter, which was some of my home made stuff but of course you can buy it at the store if you like, or substitute cashew butter for a more neutral flavor.

    Then, I added in just the right amount of the same spices that you find in pumpkin pie. I could not wait to try them!  But of course I had to let them chill overnight in the freezer.  It was well worth the wait though!  They tasted so good when I finally got to enjoy them after work the next day!  They were rich and creamy, lightly spiced with the aroma of pumpkin pie and a hint of nutty hazelnut.  If you are a fan of all things pumpkin like I am, definitely give these a try!  If you would like to get some Veggimins CBD for yourself, here is the code for 10% off on their website: VEGFRAGVANILLA

    Pumpkin Spice Hazelnut CBD Ice Cream Pops 

    Makes 4-6 (depending on your mold size)

    Ingredients:

    • 1 cup organic full fat coconut milk
    • 1 cup pumpkin puree
    • 1/3 cup hazelnut butter
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
    • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
    • 1/4 tsp cloves
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 2 tsp Veggimins CBD oil
    • 3 Tbsp maple syrup or to taste (stevia may also be used, a few drops to taste)
    1. Blend all ingredients together in a blender until smooth.
    2. Pour into popsicle molds and place in the freezer for at least 6 hours (or when they are firm) or overnight to set up.
    3. Remove from molds (you may need to run them under hot water briefly to loosen them), and enjoy!
  • CBD Dark Chocolate Mint Bark

    CBD Dark Chocolate Mint Bark

    I take CBD oil every day to fight inflammation and stress, usually in oil form, but it is so much more fun being able to enjoy it in dessert form, specifically in chocolate form. I enjoy dark chocolate just about every day, so I figure, why not add my CBD oil to my treats sometimes? Raw Guru recently sent me some lovely CBD products from Veggimins, including some of their dark chocolate bars and 500 mg peppermint CBD oil so that gave me an idea. Chocolate bark! I haven’t made any in ages, but I used to love making and eating chocolate bark back in the day as a kid, so why not?!

    I love that it doesn’t require any fancy chocolate molds, and it not fussy. I did not used to own chocolate molds, so it was one of the first things I made. I was picturing a dark chocolate bark swirled with green and white to make it pretty. Luckily it turned out just as I had planned. I hate it when things don’t turn out. They usually still taste good even if they don’t look pretty but I am somewhat of a perfectionist most of the time when it comes to the appearance of my desserts.

    I just melted some of that Veggimins dark chocolate, along with some other dark chocolate I had to create the base for the bark and added a little peppermint extract, along with the peppermint CBD oil to give it just enough peppermint flavor. I love peppermint things in the summer for their cooling affect!

    I then tinted some coconut butter green with matcha, which by the way also goes good with peppermint and chocolate and swirled that into the bark along with some coconut butter to create a tricolor affect. It was lovely, and so easy! If you are a peppermint fan, and would like to get your daily dose of CBD in chocolate form, give this a try!

    CBD Dark Chocolate Mint Bark

    Makes about 20 pieces of bark

    Ingredients:

    • 2 cups chopped vegan dark chocolate or vegan dark chocolate chips
    • 2 tsp Veggimins CBD oil
    • 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
    • 1/3 cup melted coconut butter plus 2 Tbsp
    • 1/2 tsp matcha powder

    Instructions:

    1. Line an 8×8 inch square pan with parchment.
    2. Heat the dark chocolate in the top of a double boiler until melted, then stir in the CBD oil, and peppermint extract.
    3. Whisk the matcha powder into 1/3 cup of the coconut butter.
    4. Pour the dark chocolate into the prepared pan, then drop the coconut butter with the matcha over it by the teaspoon randomly. Drizzle the remaining 2 Tbsp of coconut butter over that, then swirl it all with a knife to create a pretty pattern.
    5. Place in the refrigerator until it is hard, about an hour.
    6. Remove from the pan and break into pieces.
    7. Enjoy!

    Keeps in a container in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

  • Vegan Mocha Hazelnut CBD Ice Cream Pops

    Vegan Mocha Hazelnut CBD Ice Cream Pops

    I am in an ice cream sort of mood lately. It is feeling more like Summer here now, and almost every time I go running I get home and I think to myself, ice cream sounds really good right about now. Too bad I usually have to go to work so there is no time for ice cream but I do not forget as the day goes on. I only dream up what flavor I would like or what I can make. So last Wednesday I thought about what sort of ice cream treat I would like to make, and chocolate, hazelnut and coffee sounded good so I decided to make some mocha hazelnut ice cream pops!

    I didn’t stop there though, I decided that I wanted to include some CBD oil in them as well, because why not get your daily dose of CBD oil along with your dessert! I had some Veggimins 500mg coffee cbd oil from Raw Guru on hand so it was perfect! It went with the flavor pairing and all!

    I wanted this ice cream to be rich and luscious so I gave it a coconut milk base plus hazelnut butter to give it that hazelnut flavor. I make my own nut butter a lot, so I happened to have the hazelnut butter on hand, but of course you can use store bought as well, or Raw Guru has some really delicious hazelnut butter.

    Also, I added plenty of cacao powder and some espresso powder to give it that intense mocha flavor. The ice cream base was super delicious, it was hard to wait until they were all frozen and set to go (that is the only bad thing about ice cream pops versus ice cream with an ice cream maker, longer before you can enjoy them). But they were well worth the wait! They were rich and creamy with intense chocolate mocha flavor and a hint of nutty hazelnut. Sooo good! If you are in the mood for some chocolate ice cream, definitely give these a try!

    Vegan Mocha Hazelnut CBD Ice Cream Pops

    Makes 4-8 popsicles (depending on what type of molds you have)

    Ingredients:

    • 1 15 oz can organic full fat coconut milk
    • 1/4 cup Raw Guru cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
    • 1/4 cup maple syrup
    • 1/2 cup hazelnut butter
    • 1/2 tsp sea salt
    • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1 Tbsp espresso powder or 3 Tbsp strong brewed coffee
    • 4 dropperfuls Veggimins organic coffee CBD oil 500mg 
    • 1/2 cup coursely chopped vegan dark chocolate or vegan chocolate chips

    Instructions:

    1. Combine all ingredients but the chocolate chunks in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.
    2. Pour into molds, and freeze until firm before un-molding.
    3. Once un-molded place back in the freezer until completely hard again.
    4. Get a rack ready to set your ice cream pops in (I used a cooling rack set over a bowl).
    5. Melt the dark chocolate in the top of a double boiler.
    6. Working quickly, spoon a little dark chocolate over each ice cream pop then place it in the rack. Once they are all dipped put them back in the freezer until completely hard again.
    7. Serve!
  • Mocha Dark Chocolate CBD Truffles

    Mocha Dark Chocolate CBD Truffles

    Back when I was in high school, my Mom and I would go to this tiny local coffee shop after church every week and get coffee. She would always get a white mocha, and for a while I would get a dark chocolate mocha before my tastes changed and I went to the less sweet coffees in college. Those dark chocolate mochas were bomb. Like drinking a dark chocolate coffee truffle! Even though I don’t drink coffee now, I still have that memory of how delicious they were and I do like coffee in my desserts, like the Mocha Dark Chocolate CBD truffles I made last weekend.

    I was thinking about those mochas I used to drink recently and imagining them as delicious truffles. That is how it all started. Well, that and receiving some Veggimins 500 mg Coffee CBD Oil from Raw Guru and being inspired to use it in something delicious. Because why not get your daily dose of CBD while enjoying yummy chocolate! If you have not heard of or tried CBD, it is great for managing inflammation in the body, helping with anxiety and energy levels, and general well being. I take it every day anyhow, so I am all for getting some with my chocolates!

    These are super easy to make, you just melt down vegan dark chocolate, I used some chopped Veggimins CBD Dark Chocolate and Rawmio Dark Chocolate (but you could use whatever you have on hand of course). And combine it with full fat coconut cream, and the CBD oil for a really rich chocolate ganache perfect for rolling into truffles.

    Then you melt some more dark chocolate, dip them and you have something super delicious (and more impressive looking than the time they actually take to make). If you are a lover of chocolate and coffee you will love these babies! I love them and I am not even a coffee drinker anymore. I hope you are all having a wonderful week!

    Mocha Dark Chocolate CBD Truffles

    Makes 12 truffles

     

    Instructions:

    1. Combine the chopped chocolate and coconut cream in the top of a double boiler and whisk every so often until it is all melted together smoothly. Add the CBD oil and whisk until well incorporated.
    2. Pour into a bowl, and place in the freezer until firm enough to scoop and roll, about 30 minutes or so.
    3. Roll the filling mixture into balls, and place on a parchment lined tray. Place in the freezer until they are firm, about 30 minutes.
    4. Meanwhile, melt the other cup of dark chocolate in the top of a double boiler until smooth.
    5. Dip each of the chocolate filling balls into the melted chocolate one by one letting the excess drain off (I like to use a fork to set them on to dip them). Set on the parchment lined tray.
    6. When the chocolates are all dipped, place the tray in the freezer until the coating has firmed up.
    7. Store chocolates in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

    *If you don’t want to use CBD, just use 1 tsp coffee extract instead.

  • Vegan Peppermint Mocha Brownies with CBD Fudge Sauce

    Vegan Peppermint Mocha Brownies with CBD Fudge Sauce

    We have had a pretty wet and rainy week here in Minnesota. On the up side the snow melting but on the downside we have giant puddles. Now this could be fun if you don your rain boots and enjoy seeing how big of a splash you can make while jumping into them. Not so fun if you are just out for a run and you happen to accidentally mis-judge the depth of a puddle and soak your feet in icy water creating a squish squash sound for the remainder of your run. I got back from that sort of journey outside last Thursday and I wanted nothing more than to put on my PJs and feel warm and bake something delicious.

    I decided on some brownies because some chocolaty goodness sounded perfect. Some peppermint mocha brownies to be exact. Raw Guru had recently sent me some Rawmio peppermint dark chocolate and Veggimins 500 mg peppermint CBD oil that were just begging to be used in a recipe so it was perfect! I made a rich and fudgy brownie base with a bit of strong coffee and peppermint and the batter tasted amazing even before it was baked. I stirred in some Rawmio essentials peppermint dark chocolate chunks and chocolate chips to make it even more delicious.

    They smelled amazing while baking. The aromas of peppermint, chocolate and coffee filling the air! They would have been good just as they were, but I wanted to make some chocolate mint mocha CBD fudge with the Veggimins CBD oil to pour over them. I made a really simple 5 ingredient fudge that can be made in just as long as it takes you to stir it together.

    The brownies with the fudge were heavenly! Rich and fudgy brownies with a hint of mint and coffee with plenty of chocolate chunks, and of course the silky smooth gooey dark chocolate mint coffee CBD fudge…definitely something you want to enjoy seconds with. I love that I can get my daily dose of CBD in with my dessert! Even if you don’t decide to bake brownies, this fudge would be great on ice cream, or spooned over fruit or cake. Or of course you could just eat it with a spoon. I hope you all have a wonderful week!

    Vegan Peppermint Mocha Brownies with CBD Fudge Sauce
    Makes 16

    Brownies:

    Fudge:

    Directions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, oil and 8×8 inch pan and line it with parchment.
    2. Whisk together the sugar, oil and almond butter until well combined and the sugar is starting to break down. Add the flax eggs and beat until smooth. Add the flour, cacao powder and sea salt and beat until smooth.  Stir in chocolate chunks.
    3. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle more chocolate chunks over it.
    4. Place in the oven, and Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until set (but do not over bake).
    5. Let cool before cutting into bars.
    6. To make the fudge, whisk together all ingredients in a bowl until smooth.
    7. Serve the brownies with some of the fudge poured over them.
  • Vegan Matcha Mint Hemp Truffles 

    Vegan Matcha Mint Hemp Truffles 

    You would think that I would be sick of treats from Christmas, but I am not.  In fact, I still am in the mood for delicious treats, especially of the chocolate variety.  The Holidays are not technically over after all, so why not make more?!  Raw Guru recently sent me some Rawmio dark chocolate bars and Dastony coconut butter and so I decided that some peppermint truffles sounded amazing.  But to make them even more amazing I added matcha into the mix as well because I love it!  In fact I drink it daily instead of coffee but it is so good in desserts too.  I was super excited about the truffles, because not only are they easy to make and I get to enjoy the finished product fairly quickly, I get to lick all of the excess chocolate from the bowls.  My favorite part of the process.

    These were going to be good.  But I decided to make them even better and add some Veggimins 500mg full spectrum hemp extract that Raw Guru had sent me as well, so I could get my daily dose of CBD oil with my dessert.  I take CBD oil daily anyhow to combat inflammation and stress, so I love the idea of getting some in with my truffles.  Also, I figured I would share some with Eric because he benefits from CBD oil too.  This particular Veggimins oil is flavored with peppermint as well, so it was perfect for these truffles! If you are wondering if the truffles tasted like hemp, no they did not.  All you can taste is the delicious mint, matcha and chocolate!

    For the filling I wanted it to be rich and creamy, so I used a combination of cacao butter, coconut butter and cashew butter to give it a white chocolate flavor base.  I added a good amount of matcha, vanilla and mint so the filling and it was so heavenly I could not stop tasting it.  The flavor was kind of like the Andes mints I grew up eating, they always had a mellow smooth vanilla mint flavor.

    I melted down the Rawmio essentials bars for the coating, and since some were chocolate mint, I had a double mint thing going on with the truffles.  OMG were they ever heavenly!  Creamy, rich, chocolaty, minty and cooling and satisfying.  Although, I might have trouble just eating one a day (which is what I usually do when I make chocolates like this), I might need two of these babies.

    Vegan Matcha Mint Hemp Truffles 
    Makes 14 truffles

    Ingredients:

    Filling:

     

    Dark Chocolate:

     

    Directions:

    1. Combine all of the filling ingredients in a bowl, and whisk until smooth.
    2. Place in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes until it is firm enough to scoop. Scoop into 14 balls, rolling them with your hands.   Place on a parchment lined tray, and place back into the freezer until firm, about 30 minutes.
    3. Meanwhile,  melt the dark chocolate in a double boiler until smooth.
    4. Once the filling has firmed up, dip each chocolate into the dark chocolate, being sure to let the excess drain off, and place back onto the tray (I like to set mine on a fork to allow it to drain better). Once they are all dipped, set them in the freezer until hardened.
    5. Store any leftover truffles in the refrigerator.
  • Peppermint CBD Hot Chocolate

    Peppermint CBD Hot Chocolate

    I have been saying to myself for weeks now that hot chocolate sounds good.  I caught a whiff of someone’s chocolate creamer going into their coffee at my work and ever since then I have been craving it.  I really don’t make it often enough.  I used to make it quite a bit when I was younger and we had those packets that you just stirred water into.  I know, not the best stuff but I liked it back in the day because it had sugar. The best hot chocolate I ever had back then though was when we were traveling through Europe when I was in high school.  That hot chocolate tasted like it had real chocolate melted into it.  It was so rich and delicious.  So that is what I try to recreate when I make it now as an adult.  I think of hot chocolate as a dessert in and of itself.  Something perfect for sipping after a meal.

    So, I decided to make some just for that reason last weekend. I wanted something fancy, so I made it a peppermint hot chocolate.  And, I heard about a coffee shop opening around here recently that had CBD coffee, so I thought, why not make some CBD hot chocolate?!  Get my daily dose of CBD oil with my dessert.  Raw Guru recently sent me some 300 mg Veggimins CBD oil and I love it!  I have been taking CBD oil before bed and in the morning for a few months now, and it really helps me sleep better and calms my nerves.  CBD is also good for relieving inflammation, which I need help with sometimes since I work out a lot.  If you have never tried this oil, it does not contain THC the psychoactive part of cannabis, so you don’t get high, it just helps with things like decreasing anxiety, fighting inflammation, relieving nausea and decreasing depression among other things.  Definitely check it out, it is worth it!

    But back to the hot chocolate.  It is really simple to make, I just heated the coconut oil, and whisked some cacao powder AND chocolate into it for a double chocolate affect!  I of course had to add some peppermint and vanilla to to give it that delicious peppermint flavor, plus a little maple syrup for sweetness.  And of course I had to add the CBD oil.  I think that this hot chocolate might become a favorite this Winter.  It is rich, creamy, intensely chocolate flavored, aromatic with mint and vanilla and of course it has a calming affect.  This is the perfect thing to relax with all cozy in your PJs!

    Peppermint CBD Hot Chocolate
    Serves 2

     

    Instructions:

    1. To make the hot chocolate, heat the coconut milk in a saucepan until it comes to a boil.
    2. Once it has come to a boil, turn off the heat and add all other ingredients, whisking until smooth and uniform in color.
    3. Pour into mugs and serve!
  • Vegan Chai Spiced Pear Cakes with Hazelnut Chocolate Glaze

    Vegan Chai Spiced Pear Cakes with Hazelnut Chocolate Glaze

    So far Fall in Minnesota has been a rather chilly rainy one, the temperatures in the 30s and 40s most days with rain for 2 weeks straight it felt like until this week so we have all been bundling up. But finally we got a few lovely dry days in the 60s. This is the type of Fall I dream about, where it is warm enough to not have to wear jackets, and you can go out and enjoy the Fall colors on a hike and be comfortable.  I made sure to get outside, but I also decided to do some Fall baking to celebrate the perfect Fall days, and because cake sounded good.  I had some perfectly ripe Minnesota grown pears that a coworker had given me, and so I decided on pear bundt cakes.  Apple gets all the attention most of the time, you don’t hear about people going to the pear orchard to pick pears.  But they are super delicious so I am not sure why they don’t sell like apples do.  Heck, I would go to a pear orchard.  If you get a perfectly ripe, fragrant pear it is sweeter than an apple sometimes.  Back when I was in college, in the Fall one of my favorite things was to poach pears in the oven in a dish with spices, then eat them with ice cream.  Super delicious easy dessert.

    Anyways, back to those bundt cakes.  I suppose I could have made one large cake, but I like the idea of mini cakes, and they are perfect for sharing.  Not only that, they bake so much faster!  Only 20 minutes for these babies. For the batter, I pureed my pears, then blended them up with dates, spices, almond butter as a base to add the flour and other ingredients too.  This batter is actually fruit sweetened and oil free!  And, it is plenty sweet from the pears and dates.  It baked up beautifully and smelled amazing!

    But bundt cakes need a little glaze to decorate them so I decided to use some Veggimins Hemp CBD Chocolate Hazelnut Butter that Raw Guru sent me recently so drizzle over the cakes.  After all, pears, hazelnuts and chocolate are a match made in heaven.  This spread is bomb by the way, like the best nutella you will ever taste and what’s not to love about CBD oil being included in it.  It was amazing on the cakes!  They were so good… soft and sweet from the pears with a hint of spice and the rich dark chocolate. If you have pears on hand, give these a try!

    Vegan Chai Spiced Pear Cakes with Hazelnut Chocolate Glaze 
    Makes four 1 cup bundt cakes

    Ingredients:

    2 6 inch cake pans

    Cake:

    • 3/4 cups quinoa flour (or all purpose gluten free flour)
    • 3/4 tsp baking soda
    • 1/2 tsp baking powder
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp ginger
    • 1/2 tsp cardamom
    • 1/4 tsp cloves
    • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
    • 1/2 cup packed soft medjool dates, pitted, soaked in water for 30 minutes and 1/2 cup of the soaking water reserved
    • 2 Tbsp almond butter
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 1/2 cup pureed ripe pears
    • 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

     

    Glaze:

     

    Directions:

    1. Preheat the oven to 375F degrees and position rack in center of oven. Oil 4 mini bundt pans.
    2. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and sea salt in a large bowl to blend well.  Set aside.
    3. Place dates, reserved water, almond butter, pear puree, and vanilla extract into a blender, and blend until smooth, then whisk this blended mixture into the flour mixture until well blended. Whisk in the cider vinegar until bubbles form.
    4. Transfer cake batter to prepared pans and bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool cakes completely in pan on rack, about 1 hour.
    5. Un-mold onto a piece of parchment on a sheet pan.
    6. Warm the hazelnut butter slightly in a double boiler just until it is liquid enough to pour (but don’t over-heat), and drizzle over the cakes.
    7. Enjoy!

     

    *If you can’t get the CBD hazelnut butter, or would rather make your own glaze, you can instead whisk 1 Tbsp cacao powder into 1/4 cup hazelnut (or almond) butter, along with 1 Tbsp maple syrup and just enough water to make it pourable and use the same way you would use the CBD hazelnut butter.

     

  • CBD Peppermint Chocolate Cups

    CBD Peppermint Chocolate Cups

    Maybe it is because it is Summer, it is hot, and I need things that are refreshing, but I have been really into peppermint lately.  Peppermint in my drinks, home made peppermint body mist and baths (if you are feeling overheated, just sprinkle a few drops of organic good quality peppermint oil into your bath water, it is super cooling), and of course eating peppermint goodies.  Mint chip ice cream is classic of course, and one of my favorite Summer things but I like to eat other peppermint desserts as well, which is why I was happy when I got my hands on some Rawmio Essentials peppermint dark chocolate bars recently.

    Raw Guru recently sent me a box of goodies including those as well as some Veggimins CBD chocolate bars.  So I decided to make some Vegan Chocolate Mint Cups with them, a layer of their dark chocolate on the bottom, and a layer of sweet vanilla mint white chocolate on the top, also with a touch of CBD in the form of oil, which also happens to be from Veggimins.  It is 300 mg Veggimins organic CBD oil , and I love it.  I have been taking CBD oil before bed and in the morning for a few months now, and it really helps me sleep better and calms my nerves.  CBD is also good for relieving inflammation, which I need help with sometimes since I work out a lot.  If you have never tried this oil, it does not contain THC the psychoactive part of cannabis, so you don’t get high, it just helps with things like decreasing anxiety, fighting inflammation, relieving nausea and decreasing depression among other things.  Definitely check it out, it is worth it!  I think it is awesome that they make products besides just the oil too, like the chocolate bars.  Why not get your daily dose of CBD in the form of chocolate?!

    These cups are easy to make and so good!  The mint in them is refreshing, so perfect for Summer, and the dark chocolate against the white chocolate is a heavenly combination.  These remind me of the flavor of Andes mints only better.  They melt in your mouth, and they have just the right amount of sweetness.  If you are in need of a chocolate fix, give these a try!

    CBD Peppermint Chocolate Cups
    Makes 6 large cups

    Chocolate:

    White Chocolate:

    Instructions:

    1. Melt the dark chocolate in the top of a double boiler until smooth.
    2. Spoon a little chocolate into the bottoms of 6 peanut butter cup molds, filling dividing evenly between the cups.  Place in the freezer until hard, about 10 minutes.
    3. Combine cacao butter, cashew butter, vanilla, maple syrup,  and sea salt over a double boiler, and whisk until smooth.  Add the CBD oil and matcha powder and whisk until blended.
    4. Pour the mint white chocolate over the dark chocolate in the cups and place them in the freezer until set, about 20 minutes.
    5. Enjoy! Store any extra in the refrigerator.
  • Vegan CBD Mint Chip Ice Cream Pops

    Vegan CBD Mint Chip Ice Cream Pops

    It was super hot and humid in Minnesota last weekend.  We have had a few big thunderstorms, and then when the sun came back out it just brought more of the humidity into the air.  I went on a long 28 mile bike ride and I felt like I had jumped into a pool when I got home, only it was just my own sweat.  I try not to let the heat stop me from doing things outside like running, biking and walking because I need the fresh air and sunlight, but boy it is hard sometimes.  I was craving something in the form of ice cream hard core.  So, I decided to make some ice cream pops.  Mint chip was what I had decided on.  Back in the day when I was little, mint chip was one of my favorite ice cream flavors.  There is just something super refreshing about the combination of vanilla and mint, and those dark chocolate pieces distributed throughout it made it heavenly.  It sounded like the perfect thing to cool me off, and they would be individually portioned which is awesome for when you don’t want to scoop ice cream.

    Raw Guru recently sent me a box of goodies including some CBD oil and chocolate bars.  I decided that my ice cream pops would be even better with these items included.  The CBD oil is 300 mg Veggimins organic CBD oil , and I was super excited about receiving it.  I have been taking CBD oil before bed for a few months now, and it really helps me sleep better and calms my nerves, and I really wanted to try the Veggimins brand.  CBD is also good for relieving inflammation, which I need help with sometimes since I work out a lot.  If you have never tried this oil, it does not contain THC the psychoactive part of cannabis, so you don’t get high, it just helps with things like decreasing anxiety, fighting inflammation, relieving nausea and decreasing depression among other things.  Definitely check it out, it is worth it! The oil they sent me was the cinnamint flavor, so I thought it would be the perfect thing to add to my ice cream pops, why not include my daily dose of CBD?!  I also chopped up some of the Sunbiotics Chocolate with Probiotics and Peppermint and their Original chocolate that they sent me, because it paired so well with the mint theme I had going.  I have to add though, that that chocolate bars were delicious on their own too, because I had to sample them while I added them to the ice cream of course. I love the idea of including probiotics in chocolate.  Why not have dessert and healthy probiotics too?!

    The ice cream bars turned out sooo good!  I made a creamy base with a secret ingredient, avocado.  Don’t worry, you can’t taste it, it just makes the ice cream silky smooth and gives it a light green tint that is typical of mint chip ice cream.  The bars were so refreshing and delicious!  They tasted like the ice cream I enjoyed as a kid but in ice cream bar form, and no refined sugars added.  If you are a mint chip fan, give these babies a try!  If the CBD oil and Sunbiotics chocolate sounded like something you would like to try, you can get 10% off on the Raw Ruru Website when you order with the code: FRAGRANTVANILLA entered when you check out.  I hope you are all staying cool if it is hot where you live like it is here currently!

    Vegan CBD Mint Chip Ice Cream Pops

    Makes 4-8 popsicles (depending on what type of molds you have)

     

    Instructions:

    1. Combine all ingredients but the chocolate chips in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.
    2. Stir in the chocolate chunks or chips.
    3. Pour into molds, and freeze until firm before un-molding.