Healthy, quick, and guilt-free recipes

This Chocolate Peanut-Butter Pretzel Bark is a creative take on
on my “Chocolate-Cherry Nut Bark” from my Glamour.com Cooking Show.

Easy-to-make, quick and delicious.

Not to mention, this is made with
dark chocolate and better-for-you
pretzels made of spelt, which are higher
in fiber than regular pretzels…and even some
peanut butter for a dose of protein!

Bring a plate of them to your office
holiday party, your New Year’s bash
or your next bridal shower and
everyone will flip!

Chocolate Peanut-Butter Pretzel Bark
Ingredients:
8 ounces dark chocolate chips (70% recommended)
1/2 cup spelt pretzels
1/4 cup organic peanut butter (or peanut butter chips)
1 tbsp white chocolate
sea salt or pink himalayan salt, coarse

Directions:
1. Line a 13×9 baking sheet with parchment paper
2. In a small sauce pan, heat chocolate on low-medium heat. Stir rapidly so it doesn’t burn. Once smooth, turn off heat and add 1/4 cup pretzels and stir until mixed.
3. Drop the mixture into the middle of the baking sheet and spread the chocolate evenly so its one even layer.
4. In the same pan, heat the peanut butter and white chocolate until melted and add a dollop on different parts of the chocolate layer. Using a toothpick or a fork, swirl around the peanut butter-white chocolate mixture, making it into a pretty swirly design.
5. Add the rest of the spelt pretzels and sea salt on top and place into the freezer or fridge for 10 minutes or until hardened.
6. Break up the pieces and serve on a platter or place into little treat bags and wrap with ribbon as presents (see below)
Voila!

*Makes approx 10 servings

And if you want to make a cute foodie-related holiday gift this
year (which in my holiday book is ALWAYS a good idea,)
place it in a little plastic treat bag, wrap with some twine
and stick a leftover christmas tree branch in it for a pop of festivity!

And don’t forget a cute little note, like “Have a sweet holiday!”

For more fun (foodie) holiday gift ideas, check out my ideas here.

Be sweet. Be thoughtful. Be well.

xo
be well,
arielle

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Traditionally, Mochaccinos are loaded
with sugar, dairy and un-natural chocolate and coffee flavorings and typical
holiday cookies are doused with white flour, white sugar
and food coloring.

So, I decided to whip up the healthy cookie version of something that I love to drink
for a guilt-free holiday treat — Gluten-Free Mochaccino Cookie Cups!

I found a recipe for (the unhealthy version of) cookie cups
on Pinterest, swapped the all-purpose flour for almond flour, shortening for coconut oil,
brown sugar for maple syrup and spiced
them up with some fresh coffee beans..and poured in some almond milk!

These Mochaccino Cookie Cups are gluten-free,
made with ground up almonds, fresh coffee beans and sweetened with a little maple syrup.

Perfect to eat (and sip) for a festive guilt-free holiday treat!

Gluten-Free Mocha Latte Cookie Cups
Ingredients:
2 cup almond flour
2 cup unsweetened raw cocoa powder
2/3 cups organic maple syrup
1/3 cup solid coconut oil + a touch of coconut oil to line pan
2 large organic eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mini dark chocolate chips
1/2 coffee beans
popover pan

Inside of Coffee Cups
1 cup white chocolate chips
almond milk

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease the inside of popover pan with a little coconut oil.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (the almond flour and cocoa powder)
3. In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients (maple syrup, coconut oil, egg and vanilla extract)
4. Blend both bowls together and add in coffee beans and chocolate chips
3. Using your hands, form the cookie shots inside the popover pan, making the walls of the cookie cup about 1/4 inch thick
4. Best to chill for 20-30 minutes before baking (if you have time) otherwise, just put in the oven!
5. Bake at 350 F for about 15-20 minutes, or until they’re almost crispy. Remove from oven, and stick into the fridge to let cool completely.
6. Melt the white chocolate chocolate in a non-stick small sauce pan over low heat, continously stirring so it doesn’t harden. Pour about 2 tbs of melted white chocolate into to the hole of each cookie. Using a spoon or a pastry brush, spread the chocolate around the inside so its fully coated, or if the chocolate is melted enough, just hold the cup upside-down and let the chocolate drip down the sides and let the excess chocolate drip back into the pan. If you want to get fancy, drizzle some white chocolate down the sides with a fork or spoon.
7. Once all of the cookie cups have the white chocolate inside, chill them in the fridge for approx. 5 minutes until the chocolate hardens.
8. Pour in almond milk to each cup, place a few coffee beans on top for decoration and serve!

(Makes approx. 8 cookie cups)

This recipe is the healthified, guilt-free version of Popsugar’s Milk and Cookie Shots,
which was originally based off of
Dominique Ansel’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Milk Shot.

I made these Healthy Gluten-Free Mochaccino Cookie Cups
for Fresh Direct’s #FD12DaysofCookies Cookie Challenge.

These also make super cute gifts — especially for a coffee lover.

Directions: Place in a see-through plastic treat bag (with some extra white chocolate chips inside),
wrap with a cute ribbon and pair it with a bag of coffee + a frother + a cute card…the most thoughtful foodie gift!

Enjoy!

xo

be festive. be delicious. be well.

be well,

arielle

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On a long drive home from brunch
one weekend, my new cute friend,
Carly from Collegeprepster.com
started chatting about baking.

She apparently makes killer brownies.
So, I told her that I make some killer
brownies too…. but home-made and healthified.

She didn’t believe me how delicious
a healthy brownie could be,
so we decided to have a brownie bake-off!

We met last Friday morning,
wrapped them up really cute
and brought them to our local NYC fire station (Engine 22, Ladder 13)
for the firefighters to taste-test.

I bought a treat box, drew the “I Love New York” logo and wrapped it in twine for an easy, festive NY holiday decor.

And Carly wrapped hers in cute box with a red plaid bow.

Here’s what Happened:
I made the silly mistake of telling the firefighters
that mine was the healthy version before
they even took a bite!!

Lesson #1: If you’re having
a taste-test, be as general as possible about
what makes them different and let the the taste-testers do the guessing!

But beware – apparently, one of the firefighters had
a “sensitivity” to coconut oil and a took a bite without knowing.
What happened? He started itching all over! OY!

Lesson #2: Ask if anyone is allergic or sensitive before serving (even
big, brawny fire-men). And, ALWAYS include a little note with the ingredients – people like to know whats in them
AND they may even want the recipe to make themselves.

We took some pictures, had some laughs and then
an alarm went off so they hustled to get their gear on.
And off they went to fight the fire
at the Natural History Museum,
which was the big news in NYC the
rest of that afternoon!

It was a super fun way to spread some holiday cheer
and gratitude to the people who serve us
AND we got Carly back into the kitchen —
she’s been cooking up a storm ever since!

Try mine — yes, the healthy version!
They’re made with avocados and oats so you can eat them for breakfast
and serve them to kiddies for a HEALTHY holiday treat.

Gluten-free, flour-free, butter-free, egg-free AND nut-free too.

I shaped mine with a “New York State” cookie cutter.

Arielle’s HEALTHY Peppermint-Mocha Fudge Brownies
What You Need:
2 avocados, ripe
1 cup coconut palm sugar
2 tsp coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup oats, ground
1/4 cup unsweetened raw cocoa powder
2 tsp  vanilla extract
1 tsp peppermint extract
1/2 tsp sea salt

(optional) “Peppermint Candy Cane” Toppings:
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1 raw or cooked beet, peeled and sliced
sprinkle peppermint extract

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside
3. In a large bowl, mash together avocados, coconut palm, and coconut oil.
4. Add ground oats (you can blend rolled oats in blender until powdery), cocoa powder, vanilla extract, peppermint extract and sea salt. Mix until creamy.
5. Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes. Cool and then place in refrigerator
6. Cut out fun shapes (I used a cookie cutter in the shape of New York State) and then put some toppings on.
7. To make Red and White Peppermint “Candy Cane” topping: in a baggie, shake up chocolate chips, beets and peppermint extract. Then place a towel over bag and use a hammer or knife and bang until chips are crushed. Sprinkle on top of brownie and Voila!

And if you want the real deal,
(like the big and brawny firemen preferred.)
here is Carly’s recipe:

Carly’s (Def Not Healthy) One-Bowl Brownies
What You Need:
1 pkg. (4 oz.) BAKER’S Unsweetened Chocolate
3/4 cup butter or margarine
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour

Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
2. Line 13×9-inch pan with foil. Spray foil with cooking spray or butter.
3. Heat chocolate and butter in a small pan and stir until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in sugar. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Add flour; mix well. Pour into prepared pan.
4. Bake 30 to 35 min. and cool completely.

P.S. Craving another holiday dessert? Try my Chocolate-Peanut-Butter-Pretzel Cookies!

P.P. S. And follow me on instagram here (@bewellwitharielle) and follow Carly here (@carly).

Read Carly (The College Prepster’s) recap HERE.

Have a delicious holiday!

Be festive. Be sweet. Be Well.

xo

be well,
arielle

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Have the end-of-the-year blues?
Get your friends, family and coworkers excited to end the year with a bang with
these healthy, gluten-free sweet treats.

Making them is super fun and easy!

The trick to making them is the right pan.
I used this pretzel pan, one of my
favorite cookie recipes and topped it with
some coarse himalayan salt and pretzel bits
and a few drizzles of dark chocolate and white chocolate
to make them look fun and festive.

I’ve been wrapping them up as gifts and giving them
out to my friends all week in these treat bags wrapped in a bow with twine!

Perfect way to end the year on a sweet (and healthy) note!

Gluten-Free Chocolate Peanut-Butter Pretzel Cookies
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups Coconut Flour
3/4 cup cacao powder
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup Coconut Palm Sugar
1 tsp. sea salt
1/4 cup coconut water
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 organic eggs
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Toppings:
3 tbsp. coarse pink himalayan salt
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
2 tbs. organic peanut butter
1 cup mini spelt pretzels, crushed

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, cacao and baking soda and set aside
3. In another bowl, combine the coconut oil, olive oil and coconut palm sugar and mix well. Add sea salt, coconut water, vanilla extract, and eggs and whisk well
5. Slowly mix both mixtures together.
6. Stir in the chocolate chips
7. Pat dough into pretzel pan
8. Bake until cookies are golden brown approximately 15 to 17 minutes
9. Remove from oven, and let cool
10. Transfer to parchment paper or plate to prepare toppings
11. For a chocolate drizzle topping: in a small sauce pan,
heat up some chocolate and stir so it doesnt thicken. Dip a spatula
or a fork into the chocolate and whip your hand back and forth over the
pretzel making thin drizzles. Add some drops of peanut butter and sprinkle
with pink salt crystals and crushed pretzels (I crushed them in a plastic baggie.)
Voila!

Makes approx 12-15 pretzels

Be sweet. Be salty. Be well.

xo
be well,
arielle

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