A Little Valentine's Day Cake

   I made a cute little cake for Valentine's Day.  Well, actually a giant cupcake of a cake.  Rich chocolate cake with vanilla almond buttercream.

    This treat was so scrumptious the hubs and I ate every last morsel in twenty four hours  :)  

Linking up at these Fabulous Parties: Made It By Monday @ Baked in the South, Made from Scratch Monday @ Living with Food Allergies and Celiac Disease , Mangia Mondays @ Delightfully Dowling, Tuesday Talent Show @ Chef in Training, Crazy Sweet Tuesday @ Crazy for Crust, Gluten Free Wednesdays @ The Gluten-Free Homemaker, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Sweet Treats & Swanky Stuff @ Something Swanky, Anything Goes Linky @ Bacon Time with the Hungry Hypo, Sweets for A Saturday @ Sweet As Sugar Cookies

Valentine's Cake Pops

   Need a last minute Valentine's treat idea?  Try these Heart Valentine's cake pops!

  So simple... just make your cake pops like you normally would... dab a bit of melted chocolate on the back of your large heart sprinkle... and attach!

   I made these for my Coast Guard spouse game night.  They were double chocolate cake pops.  I can 100% guarantee your Valentine will love you even more if you make these  ;)  

Linking up at these Fabulous Parties: Made It By Monday @ Baked in the South, Made from Scratch Monday @ Living with Food Allergies and Celiac Disease , Mangia Mondays @ Delightfully Dowling, Tuesday Talent Show @ Chef in Training, Crazy Sweet Tuesday @ Crazy for Crust, Gluten Free Wednesdays @ The Gluten-Free Homemaker, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Sweet Treats & Swanky Stuff @ Something Swanky, Anything Goes Linky @ Bacon Time with the Hungry Hypo, Sweets for A Saturday @ Sweet As Sugar Cookies

Red Velvet Brownies

  I'm going to be completely honest here and say that I'm not usually a huge fan of brownies.  But these are so good!  Like melt in your mouth, perfect to dunk in almond milk good.

They are simple and quick to make, too!  I recommend using LorAnn's Red Velvet Bakery Emulsion to get that red velvet flavor (and color!)  It helps create that nice light, sweet, red velvet flavor without you having to worry about mixing vinegar with buttermilk and all that jazz.  (And another thing I love about LorAnn's emulsions - they're all gluten free!)   

  These brownies are the perfect dessert to make for your loved one.  The hubs loves brownies and said these are one of the best he's ever had.  So I urge you to share the love.  This recipe is too good to keep to myself - or yourself!  

  Happy early Valentine's Day!

  Red Velvet Brownies adapted from Gluten Free Goddess

ingredients

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup coconut oil

1/4 almond flour

1/4 cup rice flour mix

1/4 cup sorghum

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp seat salt

2 eggs

1 Tbsp red velvet emulsion

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

method

1.  Preheat oven to 350 F.  Grease 8x8 baking dish or cover with foil.

2.  Melt chocolate chips and coconut oil over low heat.

3.  In large bowl, mix dry ingredients together.

4.  Add wet ingredients and mix well for 2 minutes with hand mixer.

5.  Stir in chopped nuts.

6.  Bake for approximately 30 minutes, let cool, and Enjoy!

Linking up at these Fabulous Parties: Mangia Mondays @ Delightfully Dowling, Tuesday Talent Show @ Chef In Training, Gluten Free Wednesdays @ The Gluten-Free Homemaker, Tasty Thursdays @ Mandatory Mooch

Happy National Cake Pop Day!!

Thanks to Bakerella and other cake pop "pioneers" we can now enjoy National Cake Pop Day!

Linking up at these Fabulous Parties: Made It By Monday @ Baked in the South, Made from Scratch Monday @ Living with Food Allergies and Celiac Disease , Mangia Mondays @ Delightfully Dowling, Tuesday Talent Show @ Chef in Training, Crazy Sweet Tuesday @ Crazy for Crust, Gluten Free Wednesdays @ The Gluten-Free Homemaker, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Sweet Treats & Swanky Stuff @ Something Swanky, Anything Goes Linky @ Bacon Time with the Hungry Hypo, Sweets for A Saturday @ Sweet As Sugar Cookies

Healthy Mint Chocolate Mousse

I'm back I'm back I'm back!  Did you miss me?  I think I missed you... just a wee bit ;)

So here's what I've been up to/ MIA here on The GF Wife: 
*Marathon training: just ran 20.5 miles this past Saturday.   I. Am. Beast.  (slow beast) *Work. *I volunteered to be the Ombudsman for USCG Air Station SF and there's lots of work needed to improve that program.  And soon I have to do formal training for it.  (Oh, and the Command took me out to lunch a couple weeks ago!) *Beau is away for training.  So it's just myself, the pups, and crazy kitty for a month and a half. *Beau also gave me a honey-to-do list. *I finished watching seasons 7 & 8 of Grey's Anatomy.  Obviously more important than the honey-to-do list. *AND Beau bought me a Blendtec!!!!!!!!!!!

Which leads me to one of my new favorite desserts that can be whipped up in no time.  Healthy Mint Chocolate Mousse Pie with a chocolate cookie crust!  
I shared this dessert with my friends the other week... and they loved it!  The crust didn't break when I cut it and it complemented the mousse oh so perfectly.  
And I bet you have no idea that its secret ingredient is...  drum roll...  tofu!  ;)

The Mint Chocolate Mousse recipe is lightly adapted from my favorite vegan dessert blogger Chocolate Covered Katie.  She's a genius.  Seriously.
Ingredients for cookie crust (adapted from Gluten Free Baking Classics):
1/4 cup brown rice flour 2 Tbs oat flour 1/4 cup cornstarch 3 Tbs tapioca flour 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup cocoa powder 1/2 tsp xanthan gum dash sea salt 5 Tbs cold butter/ vegan butter 1 tsp vanilla extract
Ingredients for mint chocolate mousse:
1 package (12-14 oz) firm organic tofu 1/4 cup + 2 Tbs cocoa powder 4 Tbs coconut oil 1/4 cup agave 1 tsp vanilla 1/4 tsp peppermint dash sea salt
Method:
1.  Place all ingredients for cookie crust (except for vanilla extract) into Blendtec or food processor and pulse until it looks like coarse cornmeal. 2.  Add extract and pulse until it starts to form a dough. 3.  Lightly oil a pie dish and press the dough into an even layer in pan. 4.  Bake at 350 F for 18 minutes. 5.  Let cool completely. 6.  When crust is completely cool, combine all ingredients for mousse to Blendtec and pulse until completely mixed together and smooth. 7.  Fill pie crust with mousse and place in fridge until firm!  (Or just eat it right then.  Or out of the Blendtec container.  Not like I do that or anything...) 8.  Enjoy your healthy guilt-free treat!!!!
Linking up at these Fabulous Parties: Made It By Monday @ Baked in the South, Made from Scratch Monday @ Living with Food Allergies and Celiac Disease , Mangia Mondays @ Delightfully Dowling, Tuesday Talent Show @ Chef in Training, Crazy Sweet Tuesday @ Crazy for Crust, Gluten Free Wednesdays @ The Gluten-Free Homemaker, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Sweet Treats & Swanky Stuff @ Something Swanky, Anything Goes Linky @ Bacon Time with the Hungry Hypo, Sweets for A Saturday @ Sweet As Sugar Cookies

i am not perfect.

you see, i think i portrayed myself inaccurately in one of my recent posts.  i believe i made myself out to be some kind of amazing health nut who always eats clean, works out like a fitness model, and who never ever gives into temptation.


but let me tell you... i. am. not. perfect.


please, let me explain:


within a 24 hour period:


 i murdered


i devoured


i ravaged


i grieved


i raged


...and then i did it all over again.


here is my victim.  a 14.1 oz Belgium Milk Chocolate Bar.  {dipped with no calorie caramel sauce?  don't quite buy that statement but it didn't stop me from buying it either}

you see?  i don't have self control.  i can only go so long before something disastrous like this happens.  and it was so good.  but sooooo bad.  my running has been crap since i ate it {in addition to traveling for the past 2 weeks...} 


but you know what?  it's completely normal.  we all have weaknesses.  like me and cheese.  and apparently chocolate.


oops.


once i have a few bites of those things i just want more and more and more.


on a happier note... i guess me running 18 miles this weekend makes up for all those sinfully sweet Belgium calories??  right??  


until next time lovelies, remember moderation.  a little bit here and there keeps ravaging under control... do as i say, not as i do!  ;)

Cowgirl Cake Pops

  As some of you may know, I recently opened an Etsy shop!  

Appropriately named The Gluten Free Wife, I sell gluten free cake pops, sugar cookies, cake balls, focaccia bread, and {non-edible} paper buntings!

And I had my first two sales this past week!    

These cute lil pops were for a four year old's birthday party.  The theme: Jessie the Cowgirl from Toy Story!  How cute!  

I made 2 dozen pops: 12 cowprint, 6 yellow, and 6 red.  And with the classic flavors of Chocolate Fudge and Vanilla Funfetti.   

They were super fun to make... and look so cute!

A big thank you to my customers!  You were a pleasure to work with!  :)

linking up at these parties:

Easy Peesy Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes

 It's funny that my first post I ever  wrote was about Boston's "New" Cream Pie.  

Ohmygosh.  A little embarrassing?  Ah, well I am happy that over the course of a year and a half my posts have gotten a little bit... better?  Yes, I believe so...

  So let's talk about this little cupcake.  It is so easy to make and assemble.  And will wow your guests.  Or you family.  Or... your tummy.  Shhh, no worries I won't tell anyone you ate them all.

  Ingredients

1 recipe vanilla cake (or 1 box GF Betty Crocker's vanilla cake mix)

1 package instant vanilla pudding

milk (however much your pudding requires, I used the amount needed for a pie filling so it's thicker)

1 tsp rum extract

1 cup heavy cream

6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

Method

1)  Bake your cupcakes following your recipe (or cake box mix if you're pressed for time!)

2)  Prepare the vanilla pudding and add 1 tsp rum extract.  Mix well and refrigerate.

3)  Make your ganache!  Bring the cream to a boil then remove from heat source.  Add your chocolate chips, let them sit a moment to soften, then stir smooth.

4)  Once cupcakes are cool, scoop a little hole out of the top and add in pudding.  Or, I used my handy dandy Wilton Bismarck Tip to "inject" the pudding inside the cupcake.  Much less messy.

5)  Lastly, dip the top of your cupcake into the smooth ganache and enjoy!

  And on a side note... we decided to do some renovating on our already renovated home: we tore out the carpet on the stairs and upstairs, removed the icky popcorn ceiling (that was only left on the hall ceiling- lazy contractors!)  So Beau has been making custom wooden steps everyday after work.  My job will be to stain them at some point.  So needless to say, I kinda wish I had these Boston Cream Cupcakes on hand to treat ourselves {actually only Beau} after our {again, his} hard day of work!

  

Chocolatey Rocky Road Make-Over

   Everyone loves ice cream.  Especially me.  When I received a good report card in school, my parents didn't give me cash.  Or new clothes.  Oh no.  I got to make a huge ice cream sundae!  Which, in my opinion, is soo much better than money  ;)

  As the years have gone by, I've been realizing more and more that ice cream, err, the dairy, does not settle well with me.  So I've been slowly giving my favorite ice cream flavors a make-over!  I used full-fat coconut milk to replace the dairy and it makes this treat oh so creamy and rich, but it doesn't taste coconutty at all.  Actually you know what?  I think it's even better than the dairy ice cream version! 

  

  This Rocky Road Ice Cream is dairy free, gluten free {obviously!}, refined sugar free, and vegan if you desire to omit the mini marshmallows.

Ingredients:

1 can full-fat coconut milk (14oz)

1/3 cup agave (you can get away with less if you like less sweet treats)

1/3 cup cocoa powder

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup chopped almonds

handful or two of mini marshmallows (optional)

Method:

  Combine all ingredients except for nuts and marshmallows and churn in ice cream maker according to directions.  The last 5 minutes before it's "done" add nuts and marshmallows!  You can either enjoy ice cream right away or freeze for at least 30 minutes to have a harder ice cream.

I'm participating in these parties!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip {refined sugar free}

  In the middle of May Beau and I flew back to my hometown in Connecticut and visited my parents and attended a friend's gorgeous wedding.  

  And thanks to Katie over at "Chocolate Covered Katie" I was able to make my parents this deeelicious chocolate chip cookie dough dip.  I tweaked Katie's recipe for (No Sugar) Cookie Dough Dip to ensure that it was as sugar free as possible.

  **Drool**

  Now that's what I call eye candy.

  I followed Katie's recipe, but changed a few ingredients: I used 2 packets of stevia and about 1/8 cup agave for my sweetener (instead of dates), 3 tablespoons of flax meal, and chopped up some 75% Chocolate Lindt squares in place of chocolate chips.  (These squares actually have more protein and fiber, but less sugar so the carb ratio is really good for those who need to moderate their sugar levels).

  Mom and Dad, who often don't get to enjoy sweets, loved it!  :)

  And lastly, here are a few pics of our visit home!

  Alfie, their new doggie they got at The Hotel for Dogs and Cats where I used to volunteer back in Florida.  (See my other post related to the hotel).   Alfie is such a sweetheart.  He is officially their third child.  He goes everywhere with them hehe.

  We went hiking in Bigelow Hollow and Alfie had a blast!  Not to mention I forgot how beautiful New England is in late spring...

  And last but not least a picture of the gorgeous newlyweds.

  (And me with our friends Heather and Chris's baby- Nate!  Such an adorable baby!)