ALMOND BUTTER CUPS

Words really aren't necessary here.

Enjoy.

Chocolate
1/4 cup ice-cream scoop of organic butter or coconut oil

3 to 4 squares unsweetened chocolate (your preference)

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon NOW brand or KAL brand stevia, (to taste) - (Equivalent to 1/2cup sweetening power)

dash of cinnamon - optional

In a saucepan, melt butter/coconut oil and chocolate squares over very low heat. Remove from heat.

Add Stevia, salt, and cinnamon.

Almond Butter Filling

1 scoop Nature Pro Vanilla protein powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup raw almond butter

1 tablespoon pure vanilla (no sugar – check the label)

1/4 cup ice-cream scoop of organic butter or coconut oil (or a combination), well softened

Combine all the filling ingredients into a kind of very thick pudding, by mashing with a fork. This takes some mixing, and is easier if your almond butter and butter/coconut oil are at room temperature.

I use silicone muffin cups or a silpat mini muffin tin without any liner. If you do not have this, or cannot find one, use a regular or mini cupcake tin lined with regular or mini cupcake papers. This is what I have done pictured above.

Pour enough chocolate mixture to cover the very bottom of the cupcake papers.

Spoon (I use a tiny ice-cream scoop; you could use a large melon baller) a little of the almond butter filling on top of the chocolate coating.

Cover with the remaining chocolate mixture.

Chill to set.

Store in the refrigerator or the freezer.

"DORITO" Bread

This bread is the perfect accompaniment to Caesar Salad or any variety of your favorite chili. But honestly, you will find yourself wanting to munch on the bread alone. . .like the "bad ol' days" when you polished off a bag of Doritos in front of the TV.

Enjoy.

Ingredients:

2 cups almond flour

1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

8 oz. organic (preferably raw) old cheddar cheese, grated

1 organic free range egg

Preparation:

1. Combine all dry ingredients (including grated cheddar) in a bowl.

2. In a smaller bowl, whisk egg; then combine it with the dry ingredients.

3. Knead the mixture with hands to ensure proper distribution of ingredients. The "dough" will form a ball.

4. Form the dough into a large circle about 2/3 inch thick.

5. Cut circle into 16 slices.

6. Place slices on parchment or silpat lined baking sheet.

7. Bake at 375 degrees for 9 - 10 minutes.

8. Open the oven door, turn off the oven, re-close the oven door, and leave the bread in the oven for another 7 - 10 minutes. (If you like a softer consistency, remove the bread when the initial 10 minutes has elapsed.)

Kanom tong moun

Ingredients
125 grams of wheat flour .
100 grams of butter or margarine.
100 grams of sugar.3 chicken eggs.
1 tsp cardamom powder (can you put sesame in it.)
This picture is Thong Muan printer.

Methods

Mixing butter or margarine with sugar in bowl and beat to combine. Mix the cardamom and flour. Then divided into three parts. Add egg at a time Bubble alternating with flour. Heat Thong Muan printer and put butter or margarine on Thong Muan printer.Put your mixed wheat flour onThong Muan printer. Wait a minute.Photos and recipes by p’ mint

NOT TUNA SALAD

What to do for lunch? Take along this great meat alternative and terrific raw food recipe with some celery or an organic bell pepper.

A food processor makes very quick work of the preparation.

Ingredients:

1 Cup Sunflower Seeds, Soaked 8-12 Hours

1 Cup Almonds Soaked 8-12 Hours

1⁄2 Cup Lemon Juice

1⁄4 Cup Minced Celery

2 Teaspoons of Kelp Powder

1⁄4 Cup Minced Red Onion

1⁄4 Cup Minced Parsley

2 Tablespoons Minced Fresh Dill

1 Teaspoon Sea Salt

1/4 cup olive oil

1 can (1 cup) chick peas

Process celery, onion, kelp powder, parsley, dill, and salt first.

Add drained nuts, seeds, chickpeas, lemon juice, and olive oil. Process until smooth.

Not Salmon Salad: Add 2 grated carrots to processing mix. (Core Plan only)

Enjoy.

Brúnkaka/brúnterta II - the brown sugar version

This is a big recipe, enough for 6 cookie sheets. You can use it to make 1 1/2 cake or a six-layer cake. It is hard to make it smaller and still retain the correct thickness of the dough.

Ingredients:
11/2 kg flour
900 g brown sugar
6 tsp baking soda
9 tsp ground cloves
10 tsp ground cinnamon
8 tsp ginger
900 g butter or margarine
6-7 eggs

Buttercream:
600 g butter, softened
900 g icing sugar
2 egg yolks
2-3 tsp vanilla essence

Rhubarb jam

Instructions:

•  Mix together all the dry ingredients on a clean, dry table and crumble the cold butter/margarine into it until well mixed. (Use your hands to squish it in, or use a pastry cutter).
• Make a mound of the mixture and make a hole in the centre of it. Add the eggs and syrup and knead until well mixed. (This does not as much kneading as bread, only just enough to get everything well mixed).
• Divide the dough into six parts. Dust each with flour and roll out into even-sized portions onto well greased cookie sheets.
• Bake at 180°C/350°F (convection oven) for 13-15 minutes.
• Remove from oven and remove the cake layers immediately from the cookie sheets and lay onto baking paper that has been sprinkled with sugar. Cool completely before going to the next step.
• Layer the buttercream evenly onto all but one layer and assemble the cake. Some prefer to spread a thin layer of jam on top of each layer of buttercream, while others will make two buttercream layers and one jam layer, and others will skip the jam entirely.

To make the buttercream:
Whip the butter and icing sugar together until light and well mixed. Add the egg yolks and vanilla essence and mix well.


Once the cake is assembled, it is best to wrap it in a slightly damp cloth (very slightly damp - wring it as well as possible) and pack it tightly in a plastic bag and leave it overnight to soften so it will not crumble as much when cut. To serve, trim the edges of the large cake and cut into smaller, rectangular pieces, then slice them, or leave each piece whole and let people serve themselves.

Brúnkaka/brúnterta I - the syrup version

Brúnkaka" simply means "brown cake" in Icelandic, and the alternative name, "brúnterta" means the same, although "terta" comes from the same root as the English word for "tart". In Icelandic "terta" is a fancier alternative to calling a cake "kaka".

Unlike the "Lísu brúnterta" recipe that I once posted, this one gets its colour not from cocoa powder, but from syrup or brown sugar and spices. I am posting two recipes, one today with syrup and one tomorrow with brown sugar, as some people may not have access to golden syrup.

My grandmother makes these year round, but this Christmas season I discovered that for two of my friends, this cake is closely linked with Christmas from them.

Here is the syrup version:

Ingredients:
1 kg flour
500 g white sugar
5 tsp baking soda
3 tsp baking powder
1tsp ground cloves
5 tsp ground cinnamon
900 g butter or margarine
500 g golden syrup (Lyle's is the brand most Icelanders use)
4 egg

Buttercream:
450 g butter, softened
600 g icing sugar
2 egg yolks
2 tsp vanilla essence

Optional:
Rhubarb jam or stewed prunes

• Mix together all the dry ingredients on a clean, dry table and crumble the cold butter/margarine into it until well mixed. (Use your hands to squish it in, or use a pastry cutter).
• Make a mound of the mixture and make a hole in the centre. Add the eggs and syrup and knead until well mixed. (This does not need as much kneading as bread, only just enough to get everything well mixed).
• Divide the dough into four parts. Dust each with flour and roll out onto well greased cookie sheets. Each portion should just about fill one cookie sheet.
• Bake at 180°C/350°F (convection oven, so adjust temperature for regular oven) until golden brown.
• Remove from oven and remove the cake layers immediately from the cookie sheets and lay onto baking paper that has been sprinkled with sugar. Cool completely before going to the next step.
• Layer the buttercream evenly onto all but one cake layer and assemble the cake. Some prefer to spread a thin layer of jam on top of each layer of buttercream, while others will make two buttercream layers and one jam layer, and others will skip the jam entirely.

To make the buttercream:
Whip the butter and icing sugar together until light and well mixed. Add the egg yolks and vanilla essence and mix well.

Once the cake is assembled, it is best to wrap it in a slightly damp cloth (very slightly damp - wring it as well as possible) and pack it tightly in a plastic bag and leave it overnight to soften so it will not crumble as much when cut. To serve, trim the edges of the large cake and cut into smaller, rectangular pieces, then slice them, or leave each piece whole and let people serve themselves.