Coconut Cream Protein Cookie Sandwich

Lately I have been on a coconut kick and can't get enough of its creamy, delicious taste. This morning I wanted to make something quick, easy and relatively healthy. Something which was gluten-free, low in sugar and filling. Thats when these coconut cream protein cookies were brought to my attention and I knew I had to make them. They are made with all-natural sweeteners and are packed with protein from my favorite Vega protein powder. 

Also, this recipe is vegan, making them perfect for anyone. The coconut cream filling gives these cookie sandwiches the perfect sweetness and makes them fun to eat. They're the perfect anytime snack or for breakfast or an after workout snack. 

Lastly, these protein cookie sandwiches take less than 20 minutes to make with only a handful of ingredients required. The recipe calls for sunflower seeds, but I didn't have any in my pantry so I added pumpkin seeds and walnuts instead. You can find the recipe here. 

To make the Coconut Cream filling, you need 1 can of coconut cream, 1/2 cup of coconut flakes (or enough to thicken the coconut cream mixture), 1/4 c. maple syrup and 1 tsp. of vanilla. 

Chocolate Coconut Cups (V)

I've found my newest obsession and its in the form of sweets...obviously. Also, its just in time for Valentine's Day. These Chocolate Coconut Cups are incredibly easy, all naturally sweetened and vegan. Also, they take no longer than 10 minutes to make and require no more than 5 ingredients. 

These are an absolutely must-try and are the perfect little thing to satisfy any chocolate craving. I found the recipe from one of my favorite blogs: Its To Die For

Ingredients 

For the filling:

1 414mL can coconut cream (refrigerated for at least seven hours)
1 1/2 c. unsweetened coconut flakes
1/4 c. maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla bean paste or vanilla
1 tsp. Himalayan or sea salt

For the chocolate coating:

1 c. coconut oil
1 c. cocoa or cacao powder
1/3 c. maple syrup (or more, to taste)
3/4 tsp. HImalayan or sea salt
Splash vanilla

Directions

1. Add all filling ingredients into a bowl and combine until smooth with a whisk. Note: for the coconut cream, use only the solid ‘cream’ component (discard or save the watery part for a smoothie). Set in fridge while you make the chocolate coating.
2. Melt coconut oil in a medium bowl. Add remaining ingredients and whisk together until smooth.
3. Place baking/muffin cups in your muffin pan (if your paper muffin cups are firm enough you may not need the muffin pan — I find it helpful). Pour a small amount of liquid chocolate sauce into each cup and roll it around so that the chocolate coats the lower sides of the cup. Set in fridge to firm up and then repeat this process up to four times.
4. Next, add your coconut filling to a ziploc bag and snip off the corner of the bag. Pipe the filling into the cups – as little or as much as you like. I like lots.
5. Lastly, with a spoon, finish the cups by spooning more liquid chocolate into each muffin cup — make sure the coconuty filling is completely covered. Place in fridge until completely firm and enjoy!

Halloween Marshmallow Pops

Happy Halloween!! 

I just had the most wonderful weekend, spent in Chicago, celebrating Halloween with some awesome people & friends!

I am back in home & so excited, because I found the cutest recipe to continue celebrating Halloween. Today I am making Halloween Marshmallow Broomstick pops! The best part about these pops, is that they are easy, convenient and can be made any way you want, you just need to get creative! 

I love celebrating all holidays and getting into the spirit, and these marshmallow pops are such a great way to do just that. They are incredibly versatile, you can change up the decorations or colors of the sprinkles to suit the specific holiday you are celebrating. When I was young, I would always be in the kitchen baking cookies, frosting and decorating desserts and hanging up holiday decor to get my family and I into the spirit! 

For this recipe, I made the pops completely free of dairy, therefore they are vegan, so everyone can enjoy. The marshmallows I used are Dandies, all natural vanilla marshmallows and the chocolate is dairy free as well. I used two types of chocolate, the first was a gnash made of melted coconut oil, maple syrup and cocoa powder and the second was melted diary free chocolate chips. 

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Once you have dipped the marshmallows into the chocolate mixtures, put the sprinkles on while it is still melted, so they stick and stay on. Then put the pops into the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to harden. 

I can't wait to share these with you & am excited for you all to try for yourselves. Come say hi on Instagram and tag me @oliviasobjectsofobsession 

Ingredients: 

2 Tbsp of cocoa powder
1/4 cup of melted coconut oil
1/4 c of maple syrup
Sprinkles
1/4 cup chopped pecans

1 cup of diary free chocolate chips
1-2 bags of marshmallow (V)
cake pop sticks

Directions: 

1. Take 1-2 bags of marshmallows and insert the sticks into them
2.Melt the chocolate chips on 30 second intervals, until it is thoroughly melted and creamy. 
3. For the second chocolate mixture, melt the coconut oil, and add the cocoa powder and maple syrup to it and mix together thoroughly. 
4. Dip the marshmallow sticks into either chocolate mixture
5. Roll the wet chocolate into the sprinkles, pecans or any topping of your choice

Triple Chocolate Banana Bread (V + GF)

Recently, I've been on a baking kick, looking for the best, most delectable recipes, while still being conscious of the sugar and ingredients added into them. This past week, I came across this vegan & gluten-free Triple Chocolate Banana Bread Recipe from the website Dear Kitchen and knew this would be the perfect thing to share with you all. Especially with the upcoming holiday season.  

This banana bread was so moist, because of the ripened bananas added to it, which also gave the banana bread some its sweetness as well. But, the best part about this banana bread is that it only uses natural sweetener, like maple syrup to sweeten it up. The gnash topping encapsulates this delicious treat and bumps up the flavor and sweetness as well. I adapted this recipe slightly and added a bit of maple syrup to the gnash and sprinkled with toasted hazelnuts opposed to blueberries. But, if you want to be creative, most anything can be added to the top: coconut flakes, blueberries, raspberries, nuts, etc. 

I love seeing the pictures and recipes you post, so make sure to tag your social media posts with #tripleo and @oliviasobjectsofobsession 

Ingredients: 

1. 2 cups (500 ml) oat milk
2. 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
3. 3 tbsp maple syrup
4. 1/4 cup (60 ml) coconut oil
5. 3 ripe bananas, mashed
6. 1 cup all purpose flour
7. 2/3 cup (60 g) cocoa powder
8. 1 tsp baking soda
9. 2 tsp baking powder
10. 1/2 tsp salt
11. 4 tsp cinnamon
12. 100 g dark chocolate chips 

Ganache: 

1. 100 g dark chocolate
2. 1/4 cup (60 ml) coconut oil

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a bread rectangular baking dish (34x12 cm, 2 litres) with baking paper.
2. Mix together oat milk and vinegar and leave for a few minutes. In a larger bowl whisk together maple syrup and coconut oil. Add the milk and vinegar mixture and mashed bananas. Whisk to combine.
3. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Slowly add to the wet ingredients while whisking on low speed or with hand. Fold in the coconut chips and transfer to baking dish. Bake for 1 hour.
4. Leave it to cool completely. On a double boiler melt together the chocolate and coconut oil. Pour over the bread and leave to cool down and harden.

Kale Greek Salad (V + GF)

Happy Motivation Monday week 13!! 

It seems that summer is the busiest months for everyone, including myself and its so hard to find the time to eat healthy and prepare meals for the upcoming week. Recently I feel as though my body has been craving something extra healthy and that is why this week for Motivation Monday I have decided on a vegan + gluten free kale greek salad. This salad has the combination of creamy and crunchy and hint of citrus and packed with super foods. I know traditional greek salads have feta within them, but I have chosen to leave that off because I am trying to limit my dairy intake. Diary tends to be a inflammatory food for most people and dishes can easily taste just as great without cheese!  

This week's Motivation Monday recipe is the perfect thing to take with you during the week for lunches at work or to carry with you if you don't have time to stop home, because unlike typical salads, kale is a much more of a thicker leaf and doesn't wilt as easily or get soggy.. For me, this salad is the perfect thing, because I work all day and have classes during the evening, so its easy to take with me for dinner during night class. 

Ingredients: 

1/2 red onion
Cherry tomatoes
Cucumber (optional) 
1/2 c. chick peas
Kalamata olives
Red bell pepper
Lemon
Olive Oil

Dressing: 
Hummus
1/2 lemon juiced
Garlic - minced
1 or 2 tbsp of water

Directions: 

1. Sauté in a skillet over medium heat the red bell pepper in 1 Tbsp of olive oil until slightly softened. 
2. Add the kale to a large bowl and add lemon juice and olive oil. Use hands to massage the kale to break down its texture and bitterness. 
3. Add the chick peas, cucumbers, olives, cherry tomatoes, and onions to the salad. 
4. For the dressing, combine the hummus, minced garlic, lemon juice and water together. Add salt and pepper for taste.  

 

Berry Tart + Coconut Whip Cream (Vegan + GF)

Week 9!! Another Motivation Monday recipe is in the books and this one may be hands down the yummiest recipe I've made to date and with the Fourth of July coming up, it will be the prettiest and most healthy dessert at the party! I found this recipe from Erin Ireland's site, To Die For. She is a fabulous food blogger out of Vancouver, Canada who mainly focuses on eating and making vegan recipes! Check out her version of the recipe here for more details! 

So with a fridge full of berries from the farmers market and an urge to make the perfect thing for the Fourth of July, I knew I needed to make this berry tart. Being both vegan and gluten-free, this dessert is perfect for almost anyone and also slightly healthier than your average dessert! 

I just can't handle how beautiful this red, white and blue berry tart is!! I am so glad that you are deciding to make it and try it out yourself. When do you, don't forget to snap a pic and put it on Instagram and tag me so I can see your beautiful creation!! 

Ingredients

For the crust

2 c. almonds
1.5 c. dates
1/2 tsp Himalayan salt

For the filling

1/4 c. + 2 tbsp creamy nut butter of your choice
1/4 c. + 2 tbsp coconut oil (melted)
1/4 c. maple syrup
1/2 tsp Himalayan salt
1 can coconut cream (chilled in fridge overnight) (Whip separately) 
Lots of berries! (around 2-3 cups)

Directions

1. Prepare your 8-9″ tart dish: rub with coconut oil and cut-out a circular piece of parchment paper to lay on the base. Next, cut three long, 3″-thick strips of parchment — lay these in your tart dish before you add the crust. They will act as ‘easy removal levers’ when your tart’s all done.
2. In a food processor, grind almonds into a flour (if you prefer little chunks in your crust, you don’t have to grind so fine). Now, add your dates and salt until a dough ball forms. (continue adding dates until ball forms, this may take more than required dates needed)
3. Using your hands, press dough into your tart dish to form your crust. When done, place in freezer to chill while you work on the filling.
4. Add nut butter, coconut oil, maple syrup and salt to your blender and puree until smooth (if you don’t have a blender, this step can be done by hand using a whisk or maybe even a fork).
5. Remove tart from freezer and pour in almond butter mixture. Spread it around so the entire tart base is covered. Place this in the fridge.
6. Remove coconut cream can from fridge, flip upside down and open. Remove watery portion and scoop hardened cream into the bowl of your mixmaster. Whip until light and fluffy (about 1-2 minutes). You can add sweeter, if needed. 
7. Remove tart from fridge and dump on your coconut whip. Using a spatula, spread it out into one even layer. Next, add berries. 
8. Enjoy!

Vegetable Hummus Wrap

Hey guys! Happy Monday & week 6 of Motivation Monday recipes! For today's recipe I decided to make a light, healthy and easy Vegetable Hummus Wrap! This recipe is seriously the perfect thing for summer and for lunches throughout the week! You can prepare multiple wraps ahead of time and store them in your fridge to eat later in the week! Oh, and the best part, is that the options are endless! 

For this recipe, I kept it to only veggies, because I wanted something a little lighter and healthier and also left out putting on any cheese as well, so these wraps are vegan and dairy free! Also, for this recipe, you are definitely able to use store-bought hummus, but I wanted to make my own, so if you're feeling like making your own homemade hummus, here is what you'll need: chickpeas, lemon, garlic gloves, salt & pepper, olive oil and some paprika to taste. Add all of the ingredients to a food processor and blend until really creamy and smooth! 

Then its time to build your wrap! First spread your hummus onto the whole wheat tortilla and add whatever vegetables you like! I added, tomatoes, cucumbers, avocado, zucchini, alfalfa sprouts (optional) & arugula or spinach! 

After you've added everything, roll up your vegetable wrap and you're done & ready to eat! Its literally that simple! 

This is such a great summer recipe and I can't wait for you all to try it out! Follow me on Instagram to get more inspiration and ideas & don't forget to tag me if you post a picture of your masterpiece! 

Happy a fantastic Monday and rest of your week! 

Total Time: 20 minutes
Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

1-2 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise
1 medium red bell pepper
3 persian cucumbers
1 medium tomato
4 whole wheat tortillas
2 oz of spinach or arugula
1/2 cup red onion thinly sliced (optional) 
 

Hummus
1 can of chickpeas
1 lemon - juice of the whole lemon
1/2 cup of EVOO
1 garlic clove
S&P
Paprika to taste

Vegan Butternut Squash Pizza

It was such a gloomy day yesterday here in Minneapolis, so I decided it was a perfect day to do some cooking and try out something new! I had never homemade a pizza before and after seeing this vegan, gluten-free pizza snapped by Erin Ireland, who I follow, and who is also an incredibly talented and successful vegan food blogger out of Vancouver, I had to try it! Check her website out here! This Butternut Squash Pizza recipe was originally found on the website, Minimalist Baker, which I am also OBSESSED with. The website is clear, concise and the recipe was incredibly easy to make, using only about 10 ingredients.   

Ok, so I rarely speak of being obsessed with veggie pizzas, but this nothing like I've ever tried before. The butternut squash puree spread as the sauce perfectly compliments the broccolini, onions and chickpeas which decorate the top of the pizza, making it a perfect color and flavor combination! 

Look at these gorgeous ingredients! They are so colorful and were the perfect thing to brighten up my gloomy Thursday afternoon!

So, to make the sauce, you will first roast the diced butternut squash for at least 15-20 minutes or until it is soft and then transfer the garlic and squash to a processor. Process until creamy, then transfer to the gluten-free pizza crust and spread evenly throughout! 

After the sauce has been added to the pizza crust, add some coconut oil to a pan and sauté  your veggies for 2-3 minutes, until they have been somewhat browned. I like my veggies crispy, so I sautéed them for slightly longer! 

I followed the Minimalist Baker's recipe almost exactly, with broccolini, red onions and chickpeas to get a little protein in, except that I wanted to keep it vegan, so I left out the mozzarella cheese that she added on top. You can definitely add cheese if you'd like! 

After I added these toppings to the pizza, I threw it back in the oven to warm up and combine the flavors altogether for about 5 minutes! I can say this was one of the most perfect pizzas I've tried. I am OBSESSED. Its light, healthy and there is a burst of flavors in each bite! 

Definitely check it out! Tag me on Instagram if make it and post a picture at oliviasobjectsofobsession! if you have any questions or comments let me know! I'd love to hear from you! Happy Friday!