Bittersweet Maple Bark with Quinoa, Cashews, Almonds and Cherries

Bittersweet Maple Bark with Quinoa, Cashews, Almonds and Cherries

adapted from Bobby Flat Fit

Bittersweet chocolate is known to have health benefits when consumed in moderation. For this recipe use chocolate with at least 71% cacao. I used 85% available at Lidl for $2.49 / 4 oz. bar.

The uncooked quinoa gives you a crunch... think of a Nestle crunch bar.

Don't have a double boiler, heat water in a pot, place a bowl over the pot but not touching the water.

Makes about 12 servings

3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
1 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tsp. orange zest
1/8 tsp. Kosher salt
1/3 cup quinoa (uncooked)
3/4 cup slivered almonds
3/4 cup cashews, chopped
1 tsp. instant espresso powder
1/2 cup unsweetened dried cherries, chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 325F.
2. Line a baking sheet with silicone baking sheet or parchment paper.
3. In a bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, oil, vanilla, orange zest and salt.
4. Fold in the quinoa and nuts.
5. Spread out on the baking sheet in roughly a 9 inch square.
6. Bake until the nuts are a light golden brown and the mixture is crisp, about 25 minutes.
7. Set aside to cool.
8. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate; Add the espresso powder.
9. Spread the chocolate over the quinoa crunch; Sprinkle the cherries over the top.
10. Break into pieces to serve.

Enjoy!

Sugar Free Meringue Cookies

Sugar Free Meringue Cookies

adapted from Low-Carb No-Carb

My husband has a sweet tooth. Since we are doing WW together I wanted to find him a sweet treat.

Unfortunately they were not a hit in our house. They tasted like eating a spoonful of sugar. When I was a kid that was not a bad thing but now not so much.

I though I would post in case anyone has a huge sweet tooth.

Makes 24 servings                                                    0 WW Blue points / serving

3 large egg whites at room temperature

1/2 cup erythritol sugar substitute

3/4 cup powdered erythritol sugar substitute

1 tsp. vanilla extract          

1. Preheat the oven to 200F.
2. Line a baking sheet with a non-stick silicone mat.
3. In a bowl with a hand mixer beat egg whites on medium-low speed for 1 minute. The egg whites will be white & frothy.
4. Continue mixing adding 1 Tbsp. of erythritol at a time, then add powdered erythritol one Tbsp. at a time. Continue whisking until stiff peaks for and the batter is glossy and smooth.
5. Whisk in vanilla extract.
6. Spoon the meringue into a piping bag and pipe into little mounds.*
7. Bake the meringues in the preheated oven for 2.5-3 hours or until they are hardened on the outside and lift off the sheet and the centers are not sticky inside.
8. Turn off the oven and allow them to cool in the oven.
9. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Enjoy!

* If you do not have a piping bag, you can use a zip-top bag to pipe the meringue. Or you could just scoop rounds onto the sheet.