Archive of ‘Chocolate’ category

Exclusive Recipe: Healthy Chocolate Mousse made in a Blender (Sugar-Free, Dairy-Free)

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Chocolate Mousse is like the little black dress (or suit jacket) of desserts. It can be gussied up with chocolate curls, or poured into glasses and enjoyed unpretentiously. 

Because of the richness of this timeless, elegant dessert, it can easily be made low carb and diabetic-friendly without sacrificing the luxurious texture and piquant cocoa flavoring of traditional mousse. The lack of sugar and the health benefits of chocolate and coconut oil make this dessert a nourishing treat.

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Did you know that you can use expeller-pressed (refined) coconut oil and still reap similar health benefits to what you would get with the extra virgin, coconut-flavored kind? Most of the studies done on coconut oil were actually performed with refined coconut oil, not with extra virgin. I recommend using expeller-pressed coconut oil in this mousse so its essence doesn’t overwhelm the rich chocolate flavor. After trying 2 brands of expeller-pressed CO, my vote goes to Jarrow Formulas, which is extracted with no harsh chemical solvents. The Spectrum brand which is widely available in grocery stores has an off taste. Of course, you can use unrefined Extra Virgin CO if you prefer. It’ll taste a bit like a Mounds bar, which definitely isn’t a bad thing!

You can almost always find a glass or two of this mousse in my fridge. Just like with my Fluffy, Grain-Free Waffles, I make a big batch on Sunday and nosh on it all week. You can grab a glass of wine mousse, sink down into the sofa, and feel extra classy eating gourmet dessert while watching Netflix in your PJ’s. Alternatively, the mousse can be dressed up with fancy curls for unexpected company. Be forewarned: Serve this mousse to unsuspecting guests, and they might want to hang around for awhile!  

Recipe Notes

This updated version of my Sugar-Free Chocolate Mousse is egg-free, dairy-free, and hassle-free. You melt the chocolate, soften the gelatin, and blend everything into a luscious vortex of molten bliss. Pour the mix into glasses, and chill in the fridge. Wait (impatiently). Whip some heavy cream (ideal) or remove your can of Reddi-wip (reality) from the fridge. Garnish mousse. Eat!

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Gelatin is the secret ingredient. Its thickening power takes the place of eggs used in a traditional mousse, giving it a velvety, dense texture and creamy mouthfeel. Because I make this recipe so often, I purchased grassfed beef gelatin since the food source of the cattle influences the nutrient quality of the collagen used to make gelatin. However, Knox gelatin from the grocery store works equally well. You could probably easily make this mousse vegan with agar agar powder, as this blogger did with a fruit-flavored mousse. If you play around with it, please leave a comment below sharing your results.

This recipe contains no added sugar and as it is written. Most of the people who provide me with feedback concerning the recipes you see on the blog seem to tolerate erythritol and stevia just fine, but what works for others might not work for you. Feel free to use other sweeteners they’re more agreeable to you. Raw honey is a delicious paleo substitute for the erythritol, although it substantially increases the grams of sugar per serving (see recipe notes). This recipe is incredibly flexible – you really can’t mess this up! 

Well, that’s not entirely true. You can mess it up if you don’t treat the gelatin with the respect that this venerable yet slightly finicky natural thickener deserves. A few months ago, I endeavored to make a batch of this mousse while talking on the phone (mistake number 1). During what I thought was an automated muscle memory sort of progression through the recipe steps, I dumped the gelatin powder into the warmed mixture of chocolate and coconut cream (second mistake). The translucent mass immediately formed an unappetizing clump, but I soldiered on, not wanting to waste precious ingredients. Ever the optimist, I threw the mixture into a blender and let it run at maximum speed for a minute or two. Sadly, that spark of creativity went unrewarded, as I distinctly remember later that day, tasting the chewy, hard lumps between mouthfuls of creamy chocolate. The silver lining is that by sharing this story I’ve brought you one step closer to achieving flawless results!

Unlike my old mousse recipe, there are no raw eggs in the mix. That means you can serve it to your elderly and pregnant friends with gusto! The sugar-free movement will spread quietly and deliciously, one dinner party at a time. Vive la revolution!

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Healthy Chocolate Cake with a Secret, revisited

On the advent of Easter, it’s the perfect time for a new beginning. I’ve been baking on and off since January, sharing my Chocolate Cake with a Secret with friends at the local hospital and doctor’s offices. In the midst of pursuing a career in the health professions, I’ve encountered many diabetic patients who are looking to manage their blood sugar while still enjoying tasty treats. These personal encounters, in additional to emails from readers, have been the best inspiration for me to get back to making sugar-free treats!
Sugar-Free Chocolate Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Wanna know what I’ve learned from making the the beloved black bean chocolate cake hundreds of times over the course of five years? Here are some tips and tricks to make it even more scrumptious!

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Healthier Ice Cream Bars and a GIVEAWAY! Banana + PB + Chocolate = Bliss. (Paleo, Low Carb, Dairy-Free, Vegan)

This post contains a product review, a sponsored giveaway, and affiliate links which generate commission for the blog if you click and purchase. Read more about Healthy Indulgences review disclosure policies here.

UPDATE: The giveaway is closed now, and the winners have been picked. Check your email to see if you’ve been selected for one of the NuNaturals stevia prize packages!

Paleo Banana Peanut Butter Ice Cream Bars

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Do you remember eating peanut butter n’ banana sandwiches as a kid?

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An Easter GIVEAWAY + Homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter Egg Candies (a.k.a. “Better-than-Reese’s” Eggs!) for a Healthier Holiday

My name is Lauren, and I’m a Reese’s peanut butter egg-a-holic.

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Earlier this month, I received a request from a reader, Deb, to create a healthier version of the highly addictive, seasonal candy that is the Reese’s egg. Knowing there are many low carb eaters out there who face the temptation to hoard these candies every Easter, I was determined to create a healthier alternative. It would be  dairy-free, soy-free, and paleo for my primal peeps and allergen-averse candy fiends.

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Homemade Chocolate Candy Bark and my Kindle E-Book!

Boy oh boy, it’s good to be back in the kitchen! Back with a little something special for the holidays, of course. It’s sugar-free, dairy-free chocolate candy bark! Isn’t it purdy, lounging on a gold doily?

Sugar-Free,

G-l-a-m-o-r-o-u-s, baby!

Doilies are works of art, aren’t they? I see them as small, papery miracles. They make any food visually appealing. They make you feel like you have some sort of “eye” for decorating. They come in classic white, or SHINY!!! I’m a firm believer in their ability to make everything better. 

This festive candy is made with a smooth and sweet chocolate base that contains no milk, but all of the richness of traditional milk chocolate bark. This candy bark is one for your Christmas cookbook.

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Announcing an E-COOKBOOK (!!!) and Instant Ice Cream and Hot Fudge Sauce for Sugar-Free Sundaes!

UPDATE: The giveaway winner for the Bento lunchbox is commenter #55, Suzie. Thanks for participating in the giveaway, everyone!

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Pictured below is my instant strawberry ice cream with rich homemade hot fudge sauce that’s low carb and sugar-free. Both the ice cream and hot fudge can be made paleo, dairy-free, and vegan. You’ll be able to recreate allergen friendly sundaes that are every bit as yummy as those sundaes you’ve enjoyed at ice cream parlors. Scroll down to the bottom of this post for the recipes…

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With the end of summer comes the beginning-of-school-year scramble! New pens and pencils and binders are carefully arranged in book bags, and text books are purchased begrudgingly by students (hint: Amazon and half.com are your friends). Wardrobes and hairdos and parking permits are revitalized and renewed!


As for me, I’m still stuck in summer mode. Sure, I have my schedule for courses set, my books ordered, and the prospects of new faces and intellectual discovery (shout-out to all my nerds out there!) getting my mind a’buzzing with possibilities. It’s an exciting time, every semester, you know? It’s the thrilling feeling of anticipation that comes with new beginnings, with novelty, with plunging headlong into the unknown.

It all sounds a little dramatic, you say? Well, I have to keep myself excited during my extended undergraduate education, hah! To all you people who knew what you wanted to do with your lives when you were 18 – “congratulations and you suck,” in the immortal words of Marina Keegan, God rest her beautiful soul.

That same feeling—that sense of anticipation—is the one I’ve been getting for the past four years blogging, constantly revising recipes in my messy test kitchen, trying this plate, that camera angle for food photoshoots, and opening my email inbox to new questions that pose new challenges to navigate in the kitchen. The wonderful people (that means YOU) who have given me tips and left helpful comments on the site and Facebook page are the other, more important, reason I’ve kept blogging. Thanks to your encouraging words and donations this website lives on!

After receiving numerous questions from you about sugar-free baking and substitutions, I decided to work on tidying up all the information on this blog into one project. The culmination of this summer’s efforts is the Healthy Indulgences e-cookbook! It’s finally ready, and will be posted for sale on the redesigned website on Monday, August 19th is posted for sale here!

Healthy Instant Chocolate Cake (aka 1 Minute Microwave Cake) and a GIVEAWAY!

UPDATE: The giveaway winner has been contacted. Thanks for participating, all!

This healthy yet decadent spin on the beloved One Minute Muffin is sure to hit the spot when you’re crunched for time and craving the sweet stuff.

Microwave Chocolate Cake In A Mug

 
Picture this: It’s lunch time, and you’re utterly fatigued after a grueling Monday morning full of meetings with clients/problem sets and paper writing/chasing after the little ones/[choose your own adventure] and your stomach is grumbling. 

Healthy Chocolate Whoopie Pies are here! Sugar-free, gluten-free, and finger-lickin’ good.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, Healthy Indulgences readers! School’s out and baking season is here. After a semester of new beginnings during which I moved back home to Florida and started my post-baccalaureate coursework, it’s time to get back in the kitchen and go on a baking spree. I’m trading in my calculator for my camera and ditching the library for the kitchen these next few weeks, bringing you holiday sweets and a couple of GIVEAWAYS!

Update: The lemon curd post and Gary Taubes summaries are on hold until the new year. We have many seasonal goodies to make over! Stay tuned…
To kickstart the baking bonanza, here are some sugar-free, gluten-free Healthy Whoopie Pies to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Gluten-Free Low Carb Whoopie Pies!

They’re all the rage, and perfect for an easy, kid-friendly holiday dessert. My version of these cakey cookie sandwiches with a sweet buttercream filling tastes every bit as good as the traditional dessert chock full of flour, sugar, and shortening! Made with ground almonds, a little oat flour, pure unsweetened cocoa powder, and natural sweeteners, you can feel good about indulging in these treats after your holiday feast. Actually, they’re wonderful any time of the year. In fact, you should make these right now. You need fuel to get through all that gift-wrapping and baking, right?!

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Healthy Peanut Butter Cups – Homemade Treats that are Low Carb, Primal, and Nearly Sugar-Free!

This healthy version of everyone’s favorite peanut buttery candy is quick and easy to make. Check ’em out!


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Yes, we can eat peanut butter cups following a healthy, whole foods eating plan. These delicious candies melt in your mouth, and give you a dose of antioxidant rich chocolate and immune system boosting coconut oil. This recipe is pretty nifty since you can shape and flavor your chocolates any way you’d like! The possibilities are endless…

Healthy Peanut Clusters

This is going to be the first in a series of quick and easy desserts that can be made with primal (or paleolithic diet-friendly) ingredients. I’ll include a low carb (sometimes sugar-free) version for each of these recipes as well, of course.

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