Easy No Bake Chocolate "Nice' Cream Cake .. Whole Food, Healthy, Guilt Free

Happiness is ... Healthy desserts!!

I love this recipe and I must say its the prettiest dessert Iv ever made.  5 stars in the impress others category and .... its SUPER quick and easy to make!!

oh and its HEALTHY.

Its a hot Thursday in July .... scorching Thursday in July, but I refuse to turn on the AC.  Yup Im one of those non AC-ers.  I love the sound of the breeze blowing through the trees in my backyard and the birds.  Therefor I will sloth it out today as I do everything at 30% speed.  With a cold Berry water in hand and my best friend Bear by my side, on the patio, I shall survive :) 

So back to my Nice Cream Cake .. 

I was always a dessert gal, but traditional desserts with the refined sugar and oils never did me any good.  Hence my obsession with healthy desserts.  In my eyes it just cant get better.  A sweet treat that is actually good for you and wont put the love in your handles.  

With these wonderful ingredients this recipe serves up a kicking does of antioxidants, rich in fiber, vitamins C,E, B1, B3 & B6/ Minerals including Iron, selenium, calcium, magnesium & phosphorous.  

Plus its lactose free.

I used a glass pie plate but next time I will use a spring form cake pan 

I used frozen berries (defrosted with a little maple syrup) at first but the fresh berries were so so much better.

I also made cocnut whipped cream ... HEAVVVENNNNN! I'll post the recipe for that soon

side note. put on the whiped coconut cream just before eatinng, it freezes as hard as a rock ..

Ingredients:

The Crust

       1/2 cup cashews
       1/2 cup hazelnuts 
       10 medjool dates pitted
       1/4 tsp sea salt
       1/4 cup coconut oil
For Nice Cream filling:
       20 medjool dates pitted
       1 can coconut milk (not lite)
       5 tbs cocoa powder
       2 tbs cornstarch or arrowroot powder
       2 tbs nut butter (peanut, almond, cashew)  the peanut butter                  will have a distinct taste, the others will not.
       2 tbs agave nectar (or maple syrup)
       1 tbs vanilla extract
       1/2 tsp fine grain sea salt
fresh strawberries to garnish
coconut whipped cream

*You can add 2 tbs espresso powder if you'd like for coffee nice cream which goes amazing with date "caramel" (Ill post recipe later but you can search Pinterest for "vegan caramel sauce"


Directions;
1. Grease 9 inch pie pan or 10 inch spring form cake pan with coconut oil.
2.  in food processor, process crust ingredients together.  It should be crumbly and sticky.  Press the crust firmly into the pie pan.  If the mixture is dry you can add a little agave.
3.  Wipe down your processor and add the nice cream ingredients.  process until good and smooth.
4. Pour the nice cream mixture into the pie dish.
5. Place in freezer.  I let it sit uncovered until its completely firm.  Then I cover it.

Thats it! When its completely frozen, wa-laaaa!!  add your strawberries and your good to go.. Guilt free happiness!!  

I was thinking this nice cream filling would be good between two cookies as an ice cream sandwich with some chocolate chips .. endless possibilities :))

Tell me if you like it and any variations you make!

MY BFF Bear.  This man is 14!  We just found out he has kidney disease :(  but he too now eats whole foods like the rest of us ... no more kibble .. and hes doing great! Just loooook at that face!!!  <3

xo Theresa

365 Days of Pinterest Day 22 - DIY SIDEWALK PAINT :)

Cute Cute Cute 

Day 21 of my 365 days of testing interesting Pinterest Pins and this is one for the family :)  .. Sidewalk Paint!!!  Yup sidewalk paint not sidewalk chalk .. 

why do we do these things?.....

so they will "GET OFF YOUR PHONEEEEE!!!"

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

Corn Startch

Water

Food color

Paint brushes .. big ones from the dollar store will do

a cupcake tin

bowl for mixin

Start by mixing one part water and one part corn startch in a big bowl ...

I let my nieces and nephews do this in the backyard .. I think mixing the concoctioin was just as fun if not more fun then actually painting with it ..

mix mix mix

put your 'paint' in a cupcake baking tin

drop in your food color .. do you know that McCormick and Betty Crocker both have neon food coloring!!!!  Perfect!

stir stir stir

 paint away

at first you may think that its not working as it will look a little translucent and lack color .. 

but as it dries ... then the real color comes out 

 .... Pants are optional

.... Dogs are a must

Pretty :)

Verdict .. great pin .. fun and easy, really works well .. very cheap and easy to clean .. 

can we  talk about the 203 year old home we bought now .. next time ..DIY my 200 year old French Provincial home ... cant wait!!!!

sneak peak ... my foyer!!  .... we have not moved in yet and the rest of the home is covered in ceiling to wall wallpaper .. so I may be hesitant to share those photos :)

365 Days of Pinterest Day 7 ~ Dr Ozs Weight - Orade Weight Loss Tea

Dr. Ozs Tangerine Weight-Orade.

Dr. Oz Recipe

Original Pin

http://pinterest.com/pin/267119821620392630/

Day 7 of my 365 Days of Pinterest ... I chose the popular weight loss pin ... Dr Oz Weight - Orade.  I actually began this a week ago so I could track my progress.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

Green Tea

Fresh Mint

Tangerines

Here is the science behind the theory straight from Dr Oz web site

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/diets-every-decade

"It contains: green tea, shown to boost metabolism 12% by drinking just one cup; tangerine, with a chemical composition that increases sensitivity to insulin and stimulates genes that help to burn fat; and mint, a calorie-free flavor enhancer."

In a large pitcher, combine:

• 8 cups of brewed green tea (I brewed 5 tea bags)
• 1 tangerine, sliced
• A handful of mint leaves
• 
  

Stir this delicious concoction up at night so all the flavors fuse together. Drink 1 pitcher daily for maximum metabolism-boosting results.

 Verdict.  I love the tea .. its refreshing and light.  Its no magical weight loss elixir  but it helps throughout the day to manage my snacking.  I feel healthy as well drinking the tea over a diet coke.  I did loose 2 pounds but I have lowered my calorie intake.  I do think the tea helps.  

Note*  Green Tea is a diuretic so I make sure I drink alot of water throughout the day.  Also I am a vegetarian with an iron deficiency and green tea is said to block non meat iron absorption so I take my iron supplement before bed not having consumed the tea 2 hours prior and 5 hours after.

Overall I think the tea is a good addition to a healthy life style and is great to add to any weight loss routine.

   :)