medjool dates – GIVE IT A WHIRL GIRL

Let it be known that making these cheesecakes are one of my favorite things to do in the Give It A Whirl Girl kitchen. These desserts are rich, flavorful, and actually quite nutritious. They are a much better alternative to regular cheesecake. The basic ingredients in these are fruit (medjool dates) and a variety of different nuts (mostly cashews). I am not going to lie, sometimes I even sneak in a slice for a filling breakfast. This matcha chocolate cheesecake dessert is unique in its flavor. If you are a fan of matcha (green tea) this recipe for a matcha chocolate cheesecake might just be perfect for you. I love everything about this particular one: the crust, the filling, and the chocolate ganache on top. It all marries together harmoniously to make one hell of an awesome cheesecake.

Matcha & Chocolate Vegan Cheesecake — Matcha & Chocolate Cheesecake

This almost-paleo matcha chocolate cheesecake requires several different components to make it all come together. I broke it down into sections for you. I suggest gathering up all of your ingredients first so you can breeze through this recipe with ease.

Continue reading “Paleo Matcha & Chocolate Cheesecake – RECIPE – Gluten-Free” →

There are so many ways you can make your own granola bars at home. Making my own is a fun, rewarding experience for me. I ask my 8-year-old daughter, Chloe, to help with the stirring because she has some good muscles for her age and you really have to give them a big stir with the spatula. For these granola bites I used gluten-free ingredients and also paleo-friendly ingredients. No sugar was added to these, they are naturally sweet from the Medjool dates and raw honey. These are a great snack that you can just grab and go. I hope you love these paleo granola bars as much as we did. They sure went quick!

Ingredients:

1 cups pitted Medjool dates
1 1/4 cup gluten-free oats (I used Bob’s Red Mill Quick Cook Oats)
1/3 cup raw honey (I used Madhava Very Raw Organic Honey)
1/3 cup almond butter (I used Maranatha No Sugar No Salt Added Almond Butter)
1/4 cup of chocolate chips or more (I use Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Chip Morsels)
2 tablespoons chia seeds (I used Simple Truth)
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut (I used Simple Truth)
Tablespoon extra virgin coconut oil (I used Spectrum Organic Virgin Coconut Oil)

Recipe:

The first step is to heat up some water on the stove so you can soak/soften up your Medjool dates. They will be easy to process if soaked for a few minutes. Place 1 cup (apx 8 dates) into a warm bowl of water and soak for a few minutes.
You will then heat up a tablespoon of coconut oil in a pan. Once the oil is warm add 1/2 cup of unsweetened coconut and cook until golden in color.
Using a food processor, place your dates inside and blend them up until no lumps remain.
You will need a large mixing bowl for this next step. Place the date mixture, oats, raw honey, almond butter (you might need to warm this up to soften it), desired quantity of chocolate chips (1/4 cup works best), and chia seeds in a large bowl. Stir until well combined.
Line an 8×8 square cake pan with parchment paper. Place granola bar mixture in the lined pan and spread until flat and the mixture reaches the edges. You can use a flat-bottom measuring cup to help press the mixture down.
Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Slice into bite-sized bars and enjoy.
Keep refrigerated to maintain freshness.