Apple Chips (Vegan, GF, paleo, clean)

Roo is totally into granola these days… I've been trying to find ways to make it more interesting than just oatmeal versions. We had a bunch of apples I didn't know what to do with, so I though I'd take a stab at drying them out for apple chips to add to granola. Here goes nothing!

Ingredients:

2 apples

1-2 cups of water

3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

Slice the apples pretty thin, but not so thin you chop your fingers off… no one likes bloody apples. Put them in a bowl and cover with water and lemon juice. Stir around gently to coat.

Spoon out the apples and lay out on a thick stack of paper towels to drain. (This next picture is totally useless, don't say I didn't warn you.)

This is the time consuming part: Arrange the slices on a cookie sheet with parchment paper. If you feel the need to sing at the top of your lungs along to Beyonce while doing this, then that makes 2 of us! :) 

Once you've gotten that out of your system and all the apples are lined up on the sheet, bake at 170 for about 5 hours. This would be a good time to clean your filthy house, or better yet, catch up on the Real Housewives. After 5 hours, flip the slices over and turn the oven off. Return them to the warm oven and let them sit overnight. The next morning they will be crisp! If you are making them for your toddler, you may now smack yourself for taking that long to make your 3 year old a snack that now all the sudden she doesn't want anymore. Facepalm. Oh well, more for me!

Happy Eating!!

Black Bean Brownies

Ok so I haven't posted in ages… But I've been so obsessed with trying new super healthy recipes, specifically desserts, that I needed a place to catalog them all! I am constantly being asked for tips and recipes for eating natural real foods, dairy free, sugar free, adding more vegetables, etc. I thought I might as well blog about my food experiments so I can easily share them with those just embarking on this journey.

Tonight I made these awesomely easy Black Bean Brownies. Let me just say, sometimes I wonder why everyone doesn't eat like this when it is so easy and so delicious. It should also be noted that as I type this, I have an entire plate full of these on my lap, because.. well, chocolate. 'Nuff said.

First, we have our ingredients. Feel free to substitute based on  your dietary needs and what you have on hand. One of the things I love most about cooking in this lifestyle is how easy it is to change things up based on your needs!  Here is the recipe as I made it:

1 15 oz can of black beans, rinsed, or 1.5 cup dry beans, cooked

1/2 cup raw cocoa (100%)

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

1/2 cup honey (or agave, sugar, coconut sugar, etc)

1 tsp vanilla (though in my house we triple the vanilla in everything)

3 eggs

1/2 cup flour (I used gluten free, but whole wheat, almond, coconut, etc. would all work, too)

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup chocolate chips (optional)



This recipe is fool proof... all you do is through it all into a bowl and mix it together! If you can't handle that, I'm not sure I trust you in the kitchen ;)

I didn't puree the beans this time so this is how the batter looks. Next time I will puree them before mixing it together so I don't have whole beans, though I really didn't mind them. I should note that I made a last minute decision to add a handful of chocolate chips before baking. Turns out this was a REALLY good idea. I always feel like more chocolate is a good idea.

Pour into a greased 8x8 pan and bake at 350 for about 40 minutes. It will be easy to tell when they are done because the top will have a slight crisp to it.

I mean... really... just look at this deliciousness.

So after trying these, I am 100% convinced black beans should be in the baking aisle at the grocery store. I would definitely puree them next time, though. I got to thinking about how easy it would be to come up with different varieties of these brownies... Of course, my brain went right to coconut almond (Almond Joy Black Bean Brownies?? Heaven!), but a friend mentioned macademia nuts as well... The possibilities are endless! These will definitely be a staple for my family and I'll post a new variety when I make them next! Until then... Happy Eating!!