Raw Vegan Caramels with Chocolate Nut Butter

These Raw Vegan Caramels are adapted from a recipe at Averie Cooks

These are beautiful little bites of chewy, sweet goodness.

I took Averie's advise and added some homemade chocolate butter on top

just to make them even more perfect.

I made a chocolate sauce by blending sugar free peanut butter with cocoa powder and

NuNaturals Liquid Vanilla Stevia

The main sweetness comes from ground up dates.

Make sure if you're using whole dates to remove the pits.

Thanks to NuNaturals, they are sugar free except for the date sugar.

When you have the 'caramel' dough, flatten it out on a stick free surface to about 1/2 inch thick.
Refrigerate to firm the caramel.

 I combined the dates with sunflower seeds.  Blend the Sunflower Seeds first and then add in the other caramel ingredients. 

I had better success pulsing the blender much of the time until a paste formed.

The original recipe calls for pine nuts, but I'm saving money using sunflower seeds but
I'm sure that these would be even better using Pine Nuts.

Raw Vegan Caramels with Chocolate Nut Butter Frosting

Caramels

1 Cup Raw Unsalted Sunflower Seeds (or Pine Nuts)

15 Pitted Medjool Dates

2 Tbs. Olive Oil (if using Pine Nuts, omit the oil)

2 tsp. Liquid Vanilla Stevia

Pulse Sunflower Seeds until pulverized.  Add in the dates

and pulse until lumpy batter forms.  Add in other ingredients and

continue pulsing until smooth and lay out on a non stick surface.

Push batter down to form a large 1/4 inch thick rectangle.  Refrigerate for

30 minutes to firm up caramels before icing.  Cut into squares.  Store in a

sealed container.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting

16 oz Jar of Natural Peanut Butter

1/4 Cup Palm Sugar or other sweetener

1/4 Cup plus 2 Tbs. Cocoa Powder

1 tsp. Liquid Vanilla Stevia

1 Tbs. Non Dairy Milk

Pinch of Sea Salt

Blend in a food processor until smooth.  Store in a sealed container

in the refrigerator or freezer for up to 2 months (they won't last that long but they could)

See the original recipe for other options and flavors. I think next time

I will make a smaller batch and use the Pine Nuts.

I'm also thinking that some coarse Sea Salt sprinkled in would be a great addition too!

Guilt free, Dairy Free, Gluten Free delicious little bites of sweet enjoyment!

Fantastic heathy recipe.  Thanks again Averie....

Enjoy!

Make sure you've entered to win in the NuNaturals giveaway!

Raw Cane Sugar Sea Glass Candy

 This project was so quick and easy.  I might even suggest it for a fun candy to make with kids as long as there are no distractions and you're very organized and careful of the hot sugar.

I'm not a candy expert by any means.  But I did grow up learning and trying new candies to make at home.     

Our family tradition for Christmas Eve is always making fudge, caramels and peanut brittle.

This one is extremely easy as candy goes.  *Not even any stirring which is unusual.

Here is the original recipe posting from "The Kid Can Cook" that I used as inspiration.

http://thekidcancook.blogspot.com/2011/05/cooking-up-party-sea-glass-candy.html

I'll leave the detailed step by step for this to the original posting but the ingredients couldn't

be any easier.  I already remember all that's in it and the proportions.

2 Cups of Sugar

 (I used Raw Cane Sugar from iHerb.) 

Next time I may try it using Coconut Palm)

1 Cup of Water

3/4 Cup Light Corn Syrup

2-3 drops of Food Coloring

And some flavoring (just a few drops) like Peppermint, Lemon, Mint etc.

(Today I just used NuNatural's Liquid Orange & Lemon Flavored Stevia)

Today I made 2 batches, a small batch of Green first, then when I knew how easy it was,

a full batch of Blue.

And about a Cup or so of Powdered Sugar

 if you want to dust each piece so they're not as sticky

Don't have any powdered sugar on hand?

Make your own - Homemade Brown Sugar and Powdered Sugar Directions

Cool for about 30 minutes (I put mine in the fridge for about 5)

Maybe by now your saying,"okay, it looks like glass.  But what's with the 'sea glass'?"

Here's plenty more info on that:  utm_source=googleproduct&utm_medium=syndication&utm_campaign=GPS

And if you don't want to mess with the sugar, here's a link to buy some:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/93855337/hard-candy-sea-glass-3-oz-sample-bag-for?utm_source=googleproduct&utm_medium=syndication&utm_campaign=GPS

Seems from what I see on line it's popular at Weddings as well.  It would make a great gift...

It does look like old broken glass, that's for sure!

My Hydrangeas made it through the storms last night okay by the way....

So, Sea Glass Candy. 

Really easy and fun to make.

Not a lot of work or cost.  And it would make a great gift.  I stored most of this

today in a baggy and put it in the freezer.  If I need to make up a nice homemade

gift for someone, I know where to get some cool candy for someone nice!

No, I wouldn't suggest eating this stuff if you drop it in sand!  I sacrificed a few pieces for the pics...

Raw Cane Sugar Sea Glass Candy.

Enjoy!

Coconut Butter Biscoff Spread Fudge

 Dairy Free if you don't add the Jiff Mocha Cappuccino icing, and "no cook" fudge with 
just 3 ingredients?  Awesome..........

 This fudge was inspired by Chocolate Covered Katie's Triple Chocolate Nutella Fudge but.....

I like this one even better!

 If you want to make it a little more decadent, and don't mind the dairy, spread a little

Jif Mocha Cappuccino  spread on top........yum!

 The combination of Coconut Butter, Biscoff Spread and Mocha is....well......
you'll have to try it yourself to realize just how great the taste is!

The recipe for this fudge is still in my head, as easy as it gets:

1 Cup Biscoff Spread, softened slightly in the microwave (maybe 10 seconds, not melted)
1 Cup Coconut Butter (Manna is a great brand) Melted inside a bowl filled with warm water
1/4 Cup slivered Almonds

Blend together Biscoff and melted Coconut Butter in a mixer. 
Stir in Almonds to mix through.
Pour the fudge into a lined freezer safe container and freeze
to set the fudge.

Optional icing:   Jif Mocha Cappuccino or melted Chocolate
Store in the refrigerator or freezer in an airtight container.

Enjoy!


This post is linked to Allergy-Free Wednesdays

Peanut Butter and Jelly Truffles

Peanut Butter and Jelly Truffles  - Sugar & Dairy Free

The inspiration for these truffles started out to be this wonderful recipe for

Creamy Mixed Berry White Chocolate Crumble Bars.
From Averi Cooks

Well............they didn't quite work out when I tried to adjust them to Dairy and Sugar Free...Oh well.
Try Averie's recipe to try those beauties.  But my Peanut Butter and Jelly version is darn good too. 

Here's what mine turned out to be in the end:

Peanut Butter & Jelly Truffles
1 2/3 Cup Coconut Flour
1 Cup Old Fashioned Steel Cut Oatmeal (you could use either quick oats or regular)
4 Oz. Softened Organic Vegetable Spread like Earth Balance

Mix dry ingredients and then add in:

1 tsp. Liquid Vanilla Stevia ( I used NuNaturals brand)
1 Cup of Nut Milk Creamer ( I used an almond / cashew creamer this time, Coconut would be fine)
1 Cup unsweetened Peanut Butter softened in the microwave but not melted
1 Cup of shredded Coconut

When all this is stirred in together,  fold in 2 Cups of frozen mixed berries.
I used my hands to blend everything together evenly, sometimes fingers just work better than spoons......add more creamer if the dough is too try to stick together.

Chill the batter in the fridge until you can roll spoonfuls into large balls.  Freeze the balls until they are firm. 


Roll the frozen Peanut Butter and Jelly balls in Cocoa Powder. 

Add in some Stevia Powder to the Cocoa if you want them really sweet.

Keep the truffles in the fridge sealed for storage.  They taste better a little thawed though.

I drizzled some melted dark chocolate on the

tops of these for added sweet but they are

fine without it.

They taste like little PB & J's dipped in Cocoa.


The recipe should make 24 large 1 1/2 inch balls or up to 30 if you used less batter for each one.

Thanks for all the Holiday LEDS String Lights Giveaway entries,

be sure and leave a comment for each entry.

This post is linked to http://glutenfreepantry.blogspot.com/2012/04/allergy-free-wednesdays-blog-hop-week_17.html

Dark Chocolate Marshmallow Bar (sugar free options)

I made a batch of Easter Chocolate.  Lots of candy to choose from in the stores but it's so easy to make up a healthier version of a chocolate Easter treat.   Chocolate can be a delicious sugar free option.  Especially with great products like Stevia, Vanilla Stevia is what I used today in this chocolate.

I used flavored marshmallows in this chocolate to give it an Easter feel but this recipe is mainly about making sugar free chocolate.

Melt some good unsweetened chocolate in a double boiler or microwave.  I use a Ball Canning jar to melt and store my chocolate in so I don't waste whatever isn't used each time.  It stores well in the refrigerator for the next recipe.  I can easily add more chocolate to the jar when it gets low and can melt the chocolate right in the jar.

I usually put the whole jar in a bowl of hot water and set it on the warming burner on the stove top.  You can easily do this same process in a microwave but the bowl of water does speed things up and can keep the melted chocolate warm until you're ready for it.

Today, I mixed in about 1 tsp. of Vanilla Stevia (NuNaturals)
to sweeten the cocoa.  I've also used a little butter sometimes to give it a gloss. 

Chocolate is very much an experiment and can be adapted for whatever your recipe needs are when you make it from scratch like this.  It does take a little practice.  It's nice to taste your test batches though! 

For molds, I use a lot of 'take out' food container lids to pour the hot chocolate into.  I've found they make a good thickness and the bar pops out easily, stores cleanly in the fridge and I can make a couple flavors at a time using these dish lids.   Obviously you can use any glass or heat proof plastic to pour the chocolate into.  Just letting you know what I've used for a while now that works well.

This homemade Chocolate is a healthy and cheaper option than store bought and you can adjust flavors and ingredients to family and friends health concerns or allergies.  Give it a try.  It's easy!

HAPPY EASTER!

Thanks for all the NuNaturals Orange and Lemon Giveaway entries!

The Perfect Sugar Free Fudge with the Perfect Giveaway

Anyone want a gigantic bucket of the best Coconut Oil made?  For FREE?

http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/virgin_coconut_oil.htm

Tropical Traditions is offering another great giveaway to my wonderful readers:

A ONE GALLON Jug of Tropical Tradition's Virgin Coconut Oil

WOW!  That's a $120 value at their website http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/

While you're waiting to see if you'll be the lucky one to win you can think about using your Tropical Tradition's Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil to make the perfect sugar free fudge........

Compliments of  Chocolate Covered Katie, this is a simple and perfect base for any chocolate fudge you may want to make.

Check out Katie's post to get the simple recipe for this perfect Chocolate base.  I changed my fudge here by adding in 1 Cup of my Flax Milk and added a little more Stevia but the rest is per her recipe, check it out.

To Enter the Giveaway:

1. You must Facebook "Like" Canned Time.

After you’ve done that, leave a comment telling me your favorite recipe using coconut oil or your favorite way to use it, or how you would like to use it?

2. For a second entry, Twitter Follow Canned Time and then tweet the following:
“I want to win Free Coconut Oil in the @CannedTime @troptraditions Coconut Oil Giveaway"

3. For even better chances to win, do one or more of these things and leave a separate comment for each (that’s seven total chances to enter)

Facebook Like Tropical Traditions

Pinterest Follow Me & Re-Pin Something of Mine

Sign up for the Tropical Traditions Newsletter

Twitter Follow Tropical Traditions

or post this Giveaway on your blog or post about it on your own Facebook wall.

Note: if you have already FB, Twittered these options previously, just leave a comment letting me know you're already signed up for that

(Remember, your comments are your entries, not just clicking to sign up for each)

Contest ends Sunday, April 1st, 2012 and winner will randomly be chosen.
Open to Continental U.S. & Canadian Residents

Tropical Traditions sells so much more than just their awesome Coconut Oil, like tools to make using their products easier.      Be sure to check out their website after you leave your giveaway comments to win the gigantic 1 Gallon tub of Tropical Tradition's Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil to see all the products they have available like this handy lid remover for the

larger tubs of Coconut Oil.

For more information  on Tropical Tradition's Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil check out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4h6eycjf29M.
o       How to Use Coconut Oil: There are hundreds of uses! http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/how-to-use-coconut-oil.htm
o       Where to Buy Coconut Oil? http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/buy-coconut-oil.htm
o       What is Virgin Coconut Oil? http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/what_is_virgin_coconut_oil.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4h6eycjf29M
Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/lid-off-plastic-pail-opener.htmhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4h6eycjf29M

Tropical Traditions Virgin Coconut Oil Giveaway

http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/virgin_coconut_oil.htm