Month: February 2017

Dotty’s Dessert of the Day: Cow Pies (Nut-free)

Image | | Dotty

Dotty's Dessert of the DayCow PiesCow Pies symbolize my feelings about both Valentine’s Day and the Trump Administration.

There you have it.

And this recipe is nut-free. We’ve got enough nuts running around right now.

Now go make some Cow Pies.

 

Cow Pies
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Cow Pies (Nut-free)

Yes, they look like cow dung, but they taste delicious.

Course Dessert
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 8 people
Author Dotty

Ingredients

  • 8.8 ounces Trader Joe's Pound Plus Dark Chocolate Half the bar, or a cup of chocolate chips.
  • 3 cups Cornflakes
  • 1/3 cup Dried Cherries

Instructions

  1. Melt your chocolate over a double boiler. (Or if you approve of microwave ovens, melt it in a microwave.) If you are using the Trader Joe's Pound Plus bar, make sure you chop it into small pieces before melting.

  2. Once your chocolate is melted, add the cornflakes and dried cherries to the chocolate and stir until everything is coated with the melted chocolate.

  3. Spoon the mixture into Cow Pie piles on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or wax paper. This should make about 8-10 Cow Pies, depending on how big you like them.

  4. Chill in the fridge until hardened. 

  5. Remove from the fridge and enjoy!

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Tibetan Mandala

Image | | Dotty

Instead of doodling, I decided to color a mandala today.

I find Tibetan mandalas beautiful and calming. According to Buddhist teachings, these geometric compositions of repeating patterns transmit positive energies into the environment and to all those who view them. They’re designed so that when you look at them, or mediate upon them, certain shapes, lines, angles, and colors, lead your eye to the center of the image, where it’s believed deities reside. This is supposed to help transform our ordinary little minds into enlightened ones.

I wouldn’t mind a world with more compassion and enlightenment, so I thought coloring and posting this mandala couldn’t hurt.

Here’s a really lovely story about a mandala that 20 Buddhist monks created in response to the September 11th attacks. And here’s a link to print and color your own mandala.

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Dotty’s Dessert of the Day: Healthy-ish Magic Cookie Bars

Image | | Dotty

Dotty's Dessert of the Day

Magical Magic BarsI don’t think I need to explain why I am posting another recipe in lieu of a doodle today. So print this recipe, gather the ingredients, turn off your phone, your tv, your laptop, your computer, and any other device that transmits bad Trump news and pretend it is some date prior to November 9, 2016.

Unplug.

Just for a few hours.

It’s Friday and it’s been another treacherous week, so please give yourself a break from all the unpleasant news, noise, and nonsense and make these healthy-ish treats.

It will all be there waiting for you when you come back, but now you’ll have something sweet to balance the sour.

 

Magical Magic Bars
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Healthy-ish Magic Cookie Bars (Dairy-free, refined-sugar-free, gluten-free)

Unplug and make these classic Magic Cookie Bars with ingredients from Trader Joe's (no, they are not a sponsor, I just love the place) that won't give you sugar shock. And they're actually pretty good for you! (Lots of protein and low in sugar.)

Course Dessert
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 12
Author Dotty

Ingredients

Crust

  • 3/4 cup almond flour (blanched is best)
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil (melted)
  • 2 tbsp agave or maple syrup
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Condensed Coconut Milk

  • 1 can full fat coconut milk
  • 1 tbsp vanilla
  • 2 tbsp agave or maple syrup

Toppings

  • 3/4 cup slivered almonds
  • 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Instructions

  1. Get Ready

    Preheat your oven to 350. Line an 8x8 square pan with 2 pieces of criss-crossing parchment paper.  Let the paper hang over the edge a bit for easy removal.

  2. Make and Bake the Crust

    Combine the crust ingredients in a bowl.

    Press crust ingredients into your lined square pan. Pack it all in there so that your crust doesn't fall apart when your bars are cut.

    Bake the crust until light golden brown (around 15 minutes) and while it's baking, get started on the Condensed Coconut Milk.

  3. Make the Condensed Coconut Milk

    Combine all the Condensed Coconut Milk ingredients in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and condense until you are left with about 1 cup of light brown (like a slightly watery caramel) coconut milk.

    Condensing your milk: This requires good, old-fashioned, standing over a pot and stirring for 30-45 minutes. Yes, I repeat, you will have to stop multi-tasking and actually stay close to the pan and stir it every few minutes. Embrace this. It actually puts you in a very zen-like state. I also recommend licking the spoon every few minutes so that you understand the full extent of the deliciousness you are creating and why good things come to those you wait...and stir.

  4. Build Your Magic Bars

    Pour about half of your gorgeous condensed coconut milk over the crust (I try and spread it to the edges) and layer it with half of the chocolate chips, almonds, and coconut. Gently pat down your toppings so that they are nestled in the condensed milk, nice and cozy. Pour the remaining condensed coconut milk over that first layer, and sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips, almonds, and shredded coconut on.

  5. Get em' cooking.

    Bake for 30 minutes.

  6. Wait. Have patience.

    Take them out and let them cool and set for about an hour and half. (This will be torture, but again, good things come to those who wait.) If you are feeling really impatient, stick them in the freezer.  

  7. Enjoy.

    Lift the bars out holding your parchment paper ends (aren't you glad you did that?) and place on a cutting board. Cut into 12 squares and eat. (Well, don't eat all of them, that would be gluttonous. Share some, and save some for another day.)

Recipe Notes

Enjoy the fact that in addition to making these delicious, not-overly-sweet, somewhat healthy treats, you cultivated patience and took a break from the onslaught of horrible news that seems to be on a never-ending loop wherever you go. (I experienced it in the waiting room at my dentist's office. As if going to the dentist wasn't unpleasant enough.)

 

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