hot chocolate steel cut oatmeal

Disclaimer: I received this product for free to review. However, all opinions expressed are 100% my own!

Hot Chocolate Steel Cut Oatmeal ~made in the crockpot while you sleep! Topped with BarkTHINS snacking chocolate!

There is nothing like waking up to a warm bowl of Hot Chocolate Steel Cut Oatmeal topped with a little BarkTHINS to get you out of bed.  Literally, these oats are cooked in the crock pot overnight while you sleep!  I can’t even begin to tell you what a treat it was to have chocolatey oats ready and waiting for me after sleeping a combined total of 3 hours thanks to the kids waking me up all night long…it’s the little things that keep me going!

Talking about the little things that keep me going…chocolate!  Better yet, BarkTHINS snacking chocolate!  I was asked by the folks over at BarkTHINS to test out their chocolate.  Who wouldn’t say yes to that offer?!?!  The whole family gladly sampled the almond and sea salt, pretzel, pumpkin seed and coconut almond varieties.  All were winners here however, I loved the coconut almond best!  BarkTHINS are made with Fair Trade Certified chocolate and non-GMO ingredients.  Also, all products are made with dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate for the extra dose of antioxidants!

Make sure to enter the BarkTHINS giveaway below!!!  

Hot Chocolate Steel Cut Oatmeal ~made in the crockpot while you sleep! Topped with BarkTHINS snacking chocolate!

Now, on to the oatmeal!  

Steel cut oats, almond milk, cacao powder, cinnamon, pure vanilla extract, maple syrup and a pinch of sea salt all dumped into the crock pot and turned on low.  Simple enough, right?  This would make an excellent Christmas morning breakfast!  I know in our house we will be up before the sun and running non-stop all day!  Having breakfast made the night before is the perfect solution!

Hot Chocolate Steel Cut Oatmeal ~made in the crockpot while you sleep! Topped with BarkTHINS snacking chocolate!

hot chocolate steel cut oatmeal
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Breakfast
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 cup steel cut oats
  • 2 tablespoons cacao powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • pinch sea salt
  • 1½ cups almond milk
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1.4 BarkTHINS crumbles for the top!
Instructions
  1. Spray inside of crock pot with all natural cooking spray.
  2. In a small bowl, mix together oats, cacao powder, cinnamon and sea salt. Add to crock pot.
  3. Stir in almond milk, water, vanilla and maple syrup.
  4. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
  5. Top with crumbled BarkTHINS chocolate and enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 Calories: 258 Fat: 6 Carbohydrates: 47 Sugar: 15 Fiber: 6 Protein: 7

Hot Chocolate Steel Cut Oatmeal ~made in the crockpot while you sleep! Topped with BarkTHINS snacking chocolate!

Note: While BarkTHINS are not made with animal products, they are not considered vegan due to the processing of the sugar used.  

 

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Hot Chocolate Steel Cut Oatmeal ~made in the crockpot while you sleep! Topped with BarkTHINS snacking chocolate!

Mini Avocado Key Lime Tarts

Last week I shared with you one of my favorite healthy desserts, Flourless Pumpkin Chickpea Blondies.  This week I’m super excited to share another…Mini Avocado Key Lime Tarts!

Mini Avocado Lime Tarts, a dessert you don't have to feel guilty for indulging on! Made with only 5 ingredients! ~vegan~

(follow me on Facebook for a video on how to make them!  It will be posted shortly!)

I had my first taste of avocado lime pie down in Costa Rica.  I admit, I was a bit skeptical at first.  But, after the first bite I was hooked!  And I mean hooked…this tastes even better than traditional key lime pie, without all the dairy and eggs.  This pie is whipped up using avocados, sweetened condensed coconut milk and key lime juice!  The avocados provide a whole lot of healthy monounsaturated fatty acids.  In fact, 71% of an avocado is made up of monounsaturated fat, that of which is proven to improve heart health!  Check out this article from NCBI that explains why avocados are so good for us!

Mini Avocado Lime Tarts, a dessert you don't have to feel guilty for indulging on! Made with only 5 ingredients! ~vegan~

Now, on to the dessert!  How cute are they?  Bite-sized and festive, perfect for the holidays!  This is one dessert that you won’t have to feel guilty for indulging on!  Each tart is around 100 calories, 5 grams of fat, 8 grams of sugar and 15 grams of carbs.

Mini Avocado Key Lime Tarts
 
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Mini Avocado Lime Tarts, a dessert you don't have to feel guilty for indulging on! Made with only 5 ingredients!
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: Vegan
Serves: 32
Ingredients
  • 1 sleeve of graham crackers, crumbled
  • ¼ vegan butter, melted
  • 2 avocados
  • 1 can sweetened condensed coconut milk (11.25 oz.) or regular sweetened condensed milk for a non-vegan version
  • ⅓ cup key lime juice
  • pomegranate seeds for decoration
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a mini-muffin pan with paper cups and set aside.
  2. In a small bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbles and melted butter. Press a small amount into bottom of each cup. Bake for 5-7 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from oven and let cool.
  3. Meanwhile, add avocados, sweetened condensed coconut milk and lime juice to a food processor. Blend until well combined and fluffy. Scoop mixture into graham cracker crusts cups. Top with pomegranate seeds and freeze until set, around 2-3 hours. Remove from freezer 10 minutes before serving and enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 Calories: 100 Fat: 5 Carbohydrates: 15 Sugar: 8 Fiber: 1 Protein: 1

Mini Avocado Lime Tarts, a dessert you don't have to feel guilty for indulging on! Made with only 5 ingredients! ~vegan~

This recipe yielded 32 mini tarts for me, but that depends on how much tasting you do while preparing them!  Wondering where to find sweetened condensed coconut milk?  I found it at Whole Foods, a brand called Nature’s Charm.  Or, try making your own with this recipe found on Detoxinista!

Mini Avocado Lime Tarts, a dessert you don't have to feel guilty for indulging on! Made with only 5 ingredients! ~vegan~

Flourless Chickpea Pumpkin Blondies

Flourless Chickpea Pumpkin Blondies

Seriously, trust me on this one!

Flourless Chickpea Pumpkin Blondies ~vegan, gluten free~ A protein packed powerhouse blondie recipe perfect for vegan and grain free diets!

Using chickpeas in place of flour makes for a healthy and delicious dessert…I promise :)

I make my chickpea chocolate chip cookie recipe all the time, everyone loves them!  They are great for both vegans and gluten-free diets.  I thought I’d mix it up for the fall and add in pumpkin and spice.  I’m glad I did, they were a score.  We’re going on batch number 3 of these in my house!  The pumpkin inspiration came from Keeping it Kind.

A blender and only one bowl is needed to create these protein packed powerhouse blondies!  They make a great dessert, but can also be an energizing snack!  The fiber and protein hold you over until the next meal.  I’m not ashamed to say I even eat them for breakfast!  At 140 calories, 4 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber each, why not?!?

Flourless Chickpea Pumpkin Blondies ~vegan, gluten free~ A protein packed powerhouse blondie recipe perfect for vegan and grain free diets!

Flourless Chickpea Pumpkin Blondies
 
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Flourless Chickpea Pumpkin Blondies, a high fiber protein packed powerhouse blondie!
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: Vegan
Serves: 16
Ingredients
  • 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained (~1.5 cups)
  • 1 can pumpkin
  • ½ cup cashew butter
  • ⅓ cup maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅔ cups chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8x8 pan with cooking spray and set aside.
  2. Add chickpeas to blender or food processor, pulse until chickpeas are broken down. Add the rest of the ingredients except the chocolate chips and blend until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a bowl and fold in chocolate chips.
  3. Evenly spread dough into pan and cook for 25-30 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 Calories: 140 Fat: 7 Carbohydrates: 17 Sugar: 9 Fiber: 3 Protein: 4

Flourless Chickpea Pumpkin Blondies ~vegan, gluten free~ A protein packed powerhouse blondie recipe perfect for vegan and grain free diets!

Have a Happy & Healthy Thanksgiving!