Tag: gluten-free

Chocolate Cherry Fudge Pops

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Starting with a pudding base, these rich fudge pops shine with a chocolate-cherry combination that everyone is sure to love. You can buy molds for under $2 at the grocery store.

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Chocolate Cherry Fudge Pops

  • Servings: 6 to 8 pops
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2 cups nondairy milk*
1/3 cup agave nectar or maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons tapioca starch
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup sweet cherries, pitted and finely chopped

Whisk the nondairy milk, agave nectar, and vanilla extract together in a medium saucepan. Add the cornstarch and cocoa powder; whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil on medium heat, then reduce to a simmer, whisking often, for 2 minutes, until thickened. Stir in the cherries. Let cool 10 minutes, then pour into the ice pop mold. Chill completely, at least overnight. To serve, run hot water on the side of the mold to loosen.

*For the nondairy milk, I used unsweetened coconut milk beverage in the carton. Almond milk is a great option, too.

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Heartnut Basil Pesto

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Local to me, Grimo Nut Nursery is home to the heartnut, a member of the walnut family fashioned in a heart shape. Heartnuts have a smooth, creamy texture with a flavor similar to a cross between walnuts and cashews, and an impressive nutritional profile, too. They have twice the fibre of walnuts, are rich in omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, and are recognized for their role in heart health.

Here, smooth, silky pesto is laced with basil, a touch of garlic, and the unique flavor of toasted heart nuts. Serve as desired, such as with your favourite whole grain pasta, in lieu of pizza sauce, or stirred into mashed potatoes.

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Heartnut Basil Pesto

2 1/2 cups loosely packed basil leaves
1/2 cup shelled heart nuts, toasted
1/4 cup water
1 large clove garlic
Pinch sea salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Put the basil leaves, heart nuts, water, lemon juice, garlic, and salt in a food processor. Process until smooth, turning off and scraping down the sides as necessary with a rubber spatula. With the food processor running, slowly stream in the olive oil, continuing to process until completely smooth. Adjust salt to taste.

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Chocolate Mousse Dip

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I was creating a recipe to use local Southbrook Vineyards‘ Bioflavia, an organic red wine grape skin powder loaded with antioxidants. Beginning with wine-waste—the leftovers from crushing grapes for wine—the skins are dried, separated, and milled into a fine powder. This dip is an antioxidant powerhouse, with both Bioflavia and cocoa powder as main ingredients. Enjoy as a fruit dip, use as a pie filling, or simply eat it with a spoon (I choose the latter). You can nix the Bioflavia if you can’t get your hands on it; it will taste the same.

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Chocolate Mousse Dip

4 small to medium ripe avocados
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa or cacao powder, sifted
1/2 cup agave nectar, pure maple syrup, or coconut syrup
2 scoops (20g) Bioflavia*
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch salt
4 to 8 tablespoons unsweetened nondairy milk

Put the avocados, cocoa powder, agave nectar, Bioflavia, vanilla extract, and salt in a food processor. Process until smooth, adding nondairy milk as necessary. Refrigerate overnight before serving for best flavor. It will thicken in the refrigerator; thin with additional nondairy milk before serving if desired. Serve with fresh fruit, or enjoy as a pudding/mousse.

*Bioflavia comes with a little scoop inside the container.

chocolate mousse

Those little tiny blackish bits in the mousse are the grape skin pieces, but it doesn’t taste gritty (or like anything) at all. Just smooth, silky, deliciousness.