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

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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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Rainbow Steps: Dotty’s Niece (Age 6)

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Rainbow Steps

Dotty
Dotty wishing for her own set of rainbow steps.

Today’s doodle donation comes from my niece, age 6, who inspired me to create Dotty’s Doodles. We’ve spent a lot of time doodling together, and her pictures always cheer me up.

May these rainbow steps lead us to a kinder, more inclusive, more just world…

Try to be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud.

~ Maya Angelou

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Dotty’s Dessert of the Day: Chocolate Therapy Truffles

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Dotty's Dessert of the DayOkay, so this week has been rough, to say the least. It’s like a supervillain has moved into the Oval Office. I was prepared for a dire first week, but this has been epically heartbreaking.

I think we all need a little sweetness after so much brutality.

There are about five foods that my body can digest without distress. One of those is chocolate. (Another is asparagus. March is a very good month for me, digestively speaking.)

I eat a lot of chocolate. I believe that chocolate has magical properties. Chocolate Therapy Truffles

We could certainly use some of that magic right now, so I wanted to share my favorite dairy-free chocolate truffle recipe. (Yes, unfortunately I’m highly lactose-intolerant. Just thinking about milk gives me gas.)

You can’t mess this recipe up unless you leave the pot on the stove and go on vacation for a week. Seriously.

So go make yourself some truffles and cheer up. We’ve got a long road ahead of us.

 

Chocolate Therapy Truffles
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Chocolate Therapy Truffles (Dairy-free)

Simple, divine, dark chocolate truffles made dairy-free with coconut milk. Better than any therapy session I've had. And you can buy all the ingredients at Trader Joe's! Yes, Trader Joe's! The great equalizer!

Course Dessert
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 24 truffles
Author Dotty

Ingredients

Truffle Base

  • 1 cup full fat canned coconut milk
  • 1/2 bar Trader Joe's Pound Plus (72%) Dark Chocolate (approx. 8.5 oz)
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil

Toppings

  • 1/4 cup shredded coconut
  • 1/4 cup crushed freeze-dried raspberries (pulverize them)
  • 3 tbsp cocoa or cacao powder

Flavorings

  • 1-2 tbsp vanilla, flavored extract, flavored liqueur, etc.

Instructions

  1. Prep Your Chocolate

    Chop 1/2 of your TJ's Pound Plus bar into small chunks.

  2. Make a Bath for Your Chocolate

    Heat the coconut oil and coconut milk in a medium sauce pan over medium-low heat until it just comes to a boil. Remove from heat. (Note: if your canned coconut milk has separated, give it a good stir before measuring it and adding it to the pan.)

  3. Transform Your Chocolate

    Add the chocolate pieces to the heated coconut milk mixture and stir until the chocolate is completely melted.

    Keep stirring until the chocolate mixture thickens a bit, and add your flavoring of choice.

    That's it. That's all a ganache is. You will never be afraid of making a ganache again now, will you?

  4. Let Your Ganache Chill Out

    I'm so lazy that once the pan cools I throw the whole thing in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. 

  5. Roll Those Truffles

    Using a spoon, scoop a hunk of chocolate from your chilled ganache into your palm and roll it into a ball. Whatever size you want, but for practical reasons, I suggest keeping it smaller than a golf ball. 

    (It's going to be messy. You are going to get covered in chocolate. But I promise, if you do it this way, it's almost as therapeutic and delightful as actually eating your truffles. You must become an artist and embrace your chocolate clay.)

    Now, roll that chocolate ball into your one of your toppings. 

    Congratulate yourself for a job well done and enjoy one, two, or seven of these these babies. 

 

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