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dani california cooks

homegrown and homemade in CA

German Sweet Potato Salad

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A paleo take on german potato salad uses sweet potatoes and maple syrup for a light, versatile, and flavorful side dish!

German Sweet Potato Salad | www.danicaliforniacooks.com

The first time I had German sweet potato salad actually had nothing to do with my own German heritage! No, it was a potluck I went to over a year ago where we all had to bring dishes from our childhood (great idea for a dinner party, by the way). My colleague supplied her grandmother’s German sweet potato salad, and it was heaven - sweet, tangy, crunchy, chewy, carby, and somehow fresh all at the same time. I was hooked!

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I’ve asked my grandfather many times what he would eat growing up in Germany, and he always returns with something along the lines of “sausage, sausage, pastries, sausage, and sausage”. Well. I’ve never visited Germany (hate to admit it) but I think I would do just fine on a diet of meat and sugar, thank you very much.

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The moment that I had my colleague’s dish, I knew I wanted to recreate it. The flavors are incredibly versatile, and I thought it would pair well with just about anything. We were invited to a wine tasting at a friend’s apartment, and she mentioned she was making pulled pork. A-ha! The perfect time to recreate the potato salad.

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Quick interjection with a few photos from the wine tasting hosted by Wines for Humanity. I think my friend got a Groupon for it, and it was a really fun afternoon on her rooftop. We kept the party going for hours afterwards!

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The ingredients for this recipe are simple and classic. Bacon and maple syrup. Sweet potatoes and parsley. A little vinegar for tang. So even if it isn’t a dish from my childhood, it’ll definitely be eaten a lot throughout my mid-twenties!

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German Sweet Potato Salad
 
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A paleo take on german potato salad uses sweet potatoes and maple syrup for a versatile and flavorful side dish!
Author:
Ingredients
  • 3 medium sweet potatoes
  • ⅓ cup chopped parsley
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup
  • ½ cup white vinegar
  • ¼ cup water
  • 4 pieces of bacon
  • ½ cup chopped white onion
  • Salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Bring a large pot of water to boil
  2. In the meantime, cube the sweet potatoes
  3. Once boiling, toss the sweet potatoes into the water and cook until tender but not mushy and falling apart (probably 5 minutes)
  4. Remove and drain
  5. In a saucepan, cook the bacon, and set aside on a paper towel
  6. Remove most of the bacon grease from the pan, and then return to medium heat
  7. Add the onions and cook until translucent
  8. Add the water, vinegar and maple syrup and bring to a boil, then reduce for 1-2 minutes
  9. Add the sweet potatoes to a large bowl, and crumble the bacon on top
  10. Add the parsley to the bowl as well
  11. Pour the onion mixture over, and toss gently with salt and pepper to taste
  12. Serve warm or at room temp
If you like this, you’ll love: Sweet Potato Crust Frittata

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Coconut Oil and Cacao Muffins

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It’s snacktime over here at DCC! Barely sweetened with banana, these gluten free muffins are full of healthy fats and rich cacao!

Coconut Oil and Cacao Muffins | danicaliforniacooks.com

It’s been raining non-stop here in San Francisco for the past week - I can’t remember the last time I saw the good ol’ California sun. That didn’t stop the fun this weekend, from Cassie’s birthday party to brunch with friends at Souvla to finally getting a COSTCO CARD!! <- major highlight of my weekend. But due to the rain, I decided not to go to the farmer’s market on Sunday and instead Whole Foods. As I walked home (it’s about a half mile away) my paper bags totally disintegrated in the rain and everything started falling out. I guess that’s karma for not bringing my reusable bags!

Coconut Oil and Cacao Muffins | danicaliforniacooks.com Coconut Oil and Cacao Muffins | danicaliforniacooks.com

Anyways, I was standing on the corner of Market street with my groceries in a jumble in my arms, and shuffled over to the nearest store…which happened to be a marijuana dispensary. As I was debating what to do - should I take off my raincoat and load my groceries into it? - there was a nice homeless man outside who asked if I needed a plastic bag, and then proceeded to take one filled with shredded paper out of the garbage, empty it, and help me load my groceries. He told me how he begged for money around here sometimes, and I told him I definitely owed him something the next time I had cash for helping me out.

Even the trash bag disintegrated by the time I got home!

Even the trash bag disintegrated by the time I got home!

Lugging my Whole Foods groceries home in a trash bag after assistance in from of a dispensary just felt quintessential San Francisco to me - I kinda had to laugh. And I have no idea what I would have done if it wasn’t for my resourceful homeless friend who had the dumpster diving idea.

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And since it was raining, it was definitely a baking day. These muffins are full of healthy fats - flax seeds, coconut oil, eggs - and have a ton of antioxidants from the cacao. They also have no sugar added, since they are only sweetened with banana. They somehow smell like ice cream! Happy snacking around this household all week.


5.0 from 1 reviews
Coconut Oil and Cacao Muffins
 
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Serves: 9 muffins
Ingredients
  • ¾ cup coconut oil, melted
  • 4 tbsp cacao powder
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • ¾ cup milk (I used soy)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tbsp flax seeds
  • 1 large banana
  • Dash of salt
  • Optional: coconut flakes for sprinkling
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
  2. Put all ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth
  3. Pour into a muffin tin (use liners, or grease)
  4. Sprinkle the coconut flakes
  5. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a knife comes through clean
If you like these, you’ll love: Pumpkin Morning Glory Muffins

Chocolate Mint Chip Truffles (vegan, paleo)

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So much decadence in this simple recipe! These chocolate mint chip truffles are rich with a minty kick. They are paleo, vegan, and just plain delicious, so it’s a holiday treat that has something for everyone!

I CANNOT believe I’m blogging about sweets, or treats, or anything food-related.

I’ve been so full since like Tuesday I don’t even remember what hunger feels like.

It’s been a total bender. Since Thanksgiving, we somehow managed to eat dessert with every meal until we flew home on Saturday night. It was a totally awesome, truly wonderful vacation. Nate’s aunt is an insanely good cook, and it was just how Thanksgiving should be. I loved being a part of their family for the week.

Going into Thanksgiving, there seem to be two courts of opinion - either eat a balanced meal, or go all out, since it’s only once a year. I was definitely in the latter, and I thought I may feel some guilt about it. But I didn’t AT ALL. I honestly enjoyed every single indulgent bite over the weekend, and I ate gluten and dairy and there was just zero stress. I loved being able to put whatever I wanted on my plate.
It made me realize how much happier I am when I am not trying to abide by any food restrictions, even though I normally do so because it makes my rheumatoid arthritis pain lessen. But, my arthritis is no worse and no better in the days after the holiday, and it got me thinking. Does the stress from planning/monitoring about your diet counteract any of the benefits from the clean eating? So, Sunday rolled around and we went back to our healthy eating ways. It didn’t feel like before, when I would binge and then restrict my food - “my diet starts tomorrow” sort of behavior. It felt very normal, like, “well, vacation’s over. It was awesome. Now back to real life”. I truly enjoy eating healthy foods 90% of the time, but this past vacation made me realize that I can now have mindfully indulgent weekends and not feel like the next day I need to do a juice cleanse. And did I mention that Nate’s aunt is just an amazing cook? Chocolate Mint Chip Truffles | danicaliforniacooks.com Ah, these truffles. I wish I had it in me to enjoy chocolate right now, because these would be at the top of my list. One of Nate’s colleagues is vegan, so I took that as a challenge accepted to create an indulgent treat that he could enjoy.

However, Nate and I will be sharing one persimmon for dessert tonight (no joke). And I’m actually looking forward to it! I’ll save these truffles for when I’m ready for real dessert again :).


5.0 from 1 reviews
Chocolate Mint Chip Truffles (vegan, paleo)
 
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These paleo and vegan chocolate mint chip truffles are decadent, yet simple to make! Adapted from Minimalist Baker.
Author:
Serves: 14 truffles
Ingredients
  • 1½ cups dairy-free chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life chocolate chunks)
  • ¾ cup full fat coconut milk
  • 4 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting
  • ½ tsp mint extract
Instructions
  1. Over a double boiler, melt down the chocolate chips with the coconut milk and one ½ tsp of the mint extract
  2. Once completely smooth and melted, transfer to a bowl and cover
  3. Put in the fridge for 2-3 hours, or until the mixture has hardened completely. Like the texture of cold, hard butter!
  4. Using a tablespoon measure, scoop out the truffle mixture.Using your hands, roll each into a ball. Do this quickly or else it will start to melt and be a bit harder to roll
  5. Roll and dust off plain cocoa powder, and store in the fridge until serving!
If you like this, you’ll love: Homemade Dark Chocolate Bark

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Healthier Sweet and Spicy Almonds

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This easy snack aims to please all tastebuds - they are salty, sweet, spicy, toasty, and crunchy! Make a large batch and serve them at your holiday parties all season.

Healthier Sweet and Spicy Almonds | danicaliforniacooks.com

Being back in DC this weekend felt…completely right. You know the feeling when you leave somewhere and you return all too soon and you just feel out of sorts? That happened to me when I graduated college in May 2012. We had an alumni reunion back on campus in October 2012 and it was just ALL TOO SOON. Felt wrong to be back on campus but not be a student, run into your ex-boyfriend, you know, the works. I had enjoyed most times I had been in DC since moving from here a year ago, but for some reason, I felt 100% like a visitor this time, and not just somebody who was pretending to live there again for a weekend.

Maybe it’s because SO MUCH HAS CHANGED IN A YEAR. They opened up a Soulcycle in a neighborhood that I remember going from down-and-out to underground and hip to now…Soulcycle-friendly. Also, about half of my girlfriends who lived here have since moved out of DC, or the ones that have stayed are moving forward with major life changes - getting engaged, new jobs, new apartments. Feels like everyone has moved on from the DC I knew - as have I - and it just felt really good to be here and see where everyone and the city is at these days.

Even the menu at Teaism - my absolute favorite casual restaurant in DC - had changed! But while I was sad to not order the salmon dish I was used to, I fully enjoyed their new salmon dish that had brown rice and indonesian swiss chard (cooked in coconut milk). Anyways, I write this to you just fondly looking back on these couple of days spent with good girlfriends, colleagues, enjoying the brisk fall weather. We’re off to the farm tonight, and in fact, Nate just landed so I should wrap up this post and hit the road!

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For the next four days, you can find me hanging out with the chickens or reading Purity on the coach (hopefully covered in cats and dogs). Or you can find me cooking up recipes alongside Nate’s mom, who is a total kitchen inspiration (she makes her own bread and butter). I’m hoping to get a few good runs in there, but weather looks pretty cold, so who knows. I also have disabled my work pop up emails - didn’t realize how liberating that was going to feel until I did it.

These almonds! I was actually inspired by Nate’s mom for this recipe. She buys in bulk whole raw almonds and then roasts them on her own until toasty perfection. Seriously - slightly over-toasted almonds are just perfect. They become super buttery.

Looking forward to updating you from the farm this week! Happy Sunday, everyone!

Sweet and Spicy Almonds
 
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Author:
Serves: 2 cups
Ingredients
  • 2 cups raw whole almonds
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 3 tbsp water
  • 3 tbsp coconut oil
  • ¼ cup coconut sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp cayenne
  • 1 tsp plus 1 tsp salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350
  2. Place almonds on a baking sheet, and put in oven for about 10 minutes
  3. Make a small bowl with the coconut sugar, spices, and 1 tsp salt
  4. Once the almonds have toasted, remove from oven. In a small saucepan, heat the coconut oil, honey, and water until boiling
  5. Pour in the almonds and stir until fully covered
  6. Spoon the almonds in the sugar mixture and stir around until all covered
  7. Spread out on a baking sheet and sprinkle another tsp of salt
  8. Let cool til room temperature, and shake off any extra sugar
  9. Serve in small bowls, store in tupperware!
If you like this, you’ll love: Cinnamon Honey Roasted Chickpeas

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Raw Apricot Crumble Cookies (gluten free)

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This four-ingredient recipe reincarnates an apricot crumble into a healthy, no-bake cookie! They are chewy, sweet, and require zero use of the oven.

Raw Apricot Crumble Cookies | danicaliforniacooks.com I certainly don’t do this enough, but every once and a while I take a step back and think about where I was a year ago today. Given that you change so much in your teens and twenties, it shouldn’t be any surprise to me that I feel so different and my life situation is so different year after year! Today, for example. A year ago today I was living on friends’ couches in DC, as I transitioned from the DC office to the SF office for work. My lease was up, and I had already taken a bunch of my stuff home to California, but I was kind of in a waiting zone. I had just gotten back from visiting Nate in Turkey, and he was in Israel by this time. I don’t think we had determined when we were going to see each other next (last June Nate embarked on an 8-month global adventure) and I wasn’t sure if my transfer to SF was going to be approved and I was certainly all over the place emotionally and physically with no home! Well a year later…

Raw Apricot Crumble Cookies | danicaliforniacooks.com A year later we just hosted our housewarming party in our new apartment in San Francisco, and it was amazing to see that in the short time we’ve been here, how many friends we can round up. A year later, Nate isn’t traveling anymore, and is enjoying his snazzy new start up job. A year later, I am loving the SF office that I transferred to and adore my project team. A year later, I have my own home again - no friends couches or living with my parents! (Although both were awesome). I wish I had been able to tell myself a year ago that everything would kind of settle out. And probably even if it didn’t work out as well as it did, there would still be a great change from where I was before, and probably for the better! I don’t consider myself a person that gets stressed out easily, but I definitely look back on last August as a time that I did not recognize that I was actually really stressed out. It took a toll on my eating habits too - when I didn’t have control over my house/transfer/relationship - I became very controlled with my food.

Raw Apricot Crumble Cookies | danicaliforniacooks.com Anyways, the only reason why I started down this path this morning is because there are a few things that remind me of my first visit to Nate, a year ago, during the beginning of his travels. One of the biggest memory triggers is dried fruit. We SUBSISTED off dried fruit in Turkey. Or at least I did. Dried figs and dates and apricots galore! Turkish food is pretty incredible, and they are great at drying just about anything and they take great pride in the fact that they can “stuff” just about anything too - eggplants and grapeleaves, to name a few. I truly have to limit my dried fruit or else I would happily eat it all the time. Something about the texture reminds me of gummy candy! My dad and I used to polish off a bag of twizzlers like it was our jobs growing up. It’s still a father/daughter indulgence to this day.

ap5 I know I haven’t talked much about these cookies, but their easy ingredient breakdown and flavors make these a win/win in my book. I love that they hold up really well so you can saran wrap one and bring to work as a snack. They also freeze wonderfully, so just take them out and let thaw a bit before digging in. We had a couple of recipe fails the day I put these together so I was so happy when this turned out well - but it is a foolproof recipe. Hey just thought about this - a year ago, I didn’t have this food blog in this amazing community of food bloggers!

Raw Apricot Crumble Cookies | danicaliforniacooks.com Apologies if you weren’t expecting this ramble today - sometimes I’m inspired by the food I’m writing about and sometimes I go down a completely different path! I write it to you, slightly hungover from our housewarming party, with Nate snoozing away next to me looking like a princess with a sleeping mask on and ear plugs in. I think it’s time to wake him up. If you had told me a year ago that we’d be happily hosting parties in our new apartment in San Francisco, I’m not sure I would have believed you. But I’m so grateful and thankful and at peace now, it seems worth the wait.

Raw Apricot Crumble Cookies | danicaliforniacooks.com

5.0 from 2 reviews
Raw Apricot Crumble Cookies
 
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This four-ingredient recipe reincarnates an apricot crumble into a healthy, no-bake cookie! They are chewy, sweet, and require zero turning on of the oven.
Author:
Serves: 6 large cookies, 12 small cookies
Ingredients
  • 1 cup dried apricots
  • ½ cup raw almonds
  • ¼ cup oats
  • 2 tbsp softened coconut oil
  • 3 tbsp raw honey
  • 3 tbsp cinnamon
  • Optional: shredded coconut for dusting
Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients into the food processor
  2. Pulse until combined
  3. Mold into a large ball and cover in saran wrap; place in freezer for 10 minutes
  4. Remove and for 1½ inch balls and press into a "cookie" shape
  5. At this point, you can sprinkle a little coconut flakes on top of each
  6. Store in the fridge!
Notes
You can store these in the freezer for several months, just remove before eating and let "thaw" at room temperature.

Note: these are not vegan due to the honey used. I have not tried these using maple syrup instead of honey, but I believe they still would hold up together well.

If you like these, you’ll love: No-Bake Vegan Brownies

No-Bake Vegan Brownies | danicaliforniacooks.com

Honey Mustard Potato Salad (paleo)

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This paleo-friendly potato salad has a delightfully sweet, tangy, and spicy dressing. Sprinkled with parsley, it tastes great hot or at room temperature!

Paleo Honey Mustard Potato Salad | danicaliforniacooks.com

One of my favorite Sunday morning activities is going to the farmer’s market. I’ve been lucky that there have been great Sunday farmer’s markets wherever I’ve lived over the last couple of years! There waaaas one in Baltimore where I went to college, but I usually slugged my way through the market, hungover, only passing through because on the other side was the old time Pete’s Grille and I was on a mission to stuff my face with greasy eggs and toast and potatoes. I was unimpressed by all the fresh goodness that surrounded in the market.

Paleo Honey Mustard Potato Salad | danicaliforniacooks.com

Anywho, in DC there was a great market on Sundays in Dupont Circle - lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, sometimes live music, and great people watching. One of my best friend’s actually worked at one of the stands, which was fun to go and visit. There are a ton of weekend farmer’s markets in Santa Monica that I’ve tagged along with my Mom on the weekends. And now in SF, I have discovered the Clement Street Farmer’s Market which is only blocks from our apartment! It’s beyond a good farmer’s market - it’s a great one. There is produce galore, but also grass-fed meats, freshly caught fishes, gluten-free breads galore, green juice stands, amazing pasture-raised eggs, live music, prepared foods, and just an overall great scene. I’m so lucky I stumbled upon it!

Paleo Honey Mustard Potato Salad | danicaliforniacooks.com

I think it’s worth it to spend extra money to buy your food at the farmer’s market. Granted, the one time I spent $11 on 4 pears I felt a little…cheated. But overall, the quality of the food is just one million fricken times better. My mom bought all of our produce growing up from farmer’s markets, but I certainly didn’t appreciate it. I think I really started appreciating it after spending time on Nate’s family farm, where his dad actually runs their local farmer’s market. I just started to acutely realize how the food tasted BETTER, and buying from a farmer’s market was better for the local community, for your health, for the environment’s health, etc. The food just tastes how its supposed to. Strawberries taste more like strawberries, and potatoes taste more like - you guessed it - potatoes.

Paleo Honey Mustard Potato Salad | danicaliforniacooks.com

Another great thing about the farmer’s market is the variety in species (do vegetables come in species? I’ll have to check in with my farm-raised BF!). Like check out these potatoes! I told Mr. Potato Man that I was making a potato salad, and he recommended these beautiful purple and pink and yellow potatoes. Did you know that purple potatoes have some of the same antioxidant compounds as blueberries? Eat the rainbow, I tell ya! It’s great to talk to the farmer’s and learn more about what they grow, and how they recommend to prepare things. So even if the price tag is a little higher, you don’t get that one-on-one attention in a grocery store.

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Just to touch upon this recipe after rambling on about my love for farmer’s markets - it’s so versatile, fresh, and flavorful. It tastes wonderful warm or room temperature. I paired it with a kale salad and some fish, but I could see this working as a side dish to a holiday meal down the line as well, or at a casual BBQ. I love creating dishes like this that I know I will re-create again and again!

5.0 from 2 reviews
Honey Mustard Potato Salad (paleo)
 
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This paleo-friendly potato salad has a delightfully sweet, tangy, and spicy dressing. Sprinkled with parsley, it tastes great hot or at room temperature!
Author:
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 6 small-medium sized potatoes (I used varieties of purple, pink, and yellow potatoes)
  • ½ cup parsley, torn and minced
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsp white vinegar
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • Dash of salt and pepper
  • Sprinkle of red pepper flakes
Instructions
  1. In a small pot, cover the potatoes in about an inch of water. Bring to a boil, and then let simmer until fork-tender. Depending on the size of your potatoes, this usually takes under 10 minutes
  2. In the meantime, whisk the mustard, vinegar, oilve oil, honey, salt and pepper
  3. Remove and drain the potatoes
  4. Allow the potatoes to cool so you can cut into cubes
  5. Toss with the dressing and the parsley
  6. Sprinkle on the red pepper flakes
  7. Serve immediately or at room temperature

If you like this, you’ll love: Roasted Carrot and Beet Salad with Pistachios (paleo)

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Vegan Meze Platter

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There’s something about a Mediterranean meze platter that is inherently very sexy and inviting - it’s delicious, healthy, great for entertaining, and transporting. It also fits into most dietary restrictions and preferences, making this a total crowd pleaser. Vegan Meze Platter | danicaliforniacooks.com It’s appetizers like these that make you not even care about the main course that is coming (or wish that you hadn’t even ordered a main course because you’re so stuffed!) Continuing on from the Turkish theme from earlier this week, today we’re talking probably the best appetizer plate known to man - a Mediterranean meze platter! So many good flavors, textures, visuals, and full of vegetables, plant-based protein, and healthy fats. And paired with a glass of red wine? One could argue that it is the perfect meal on it’s own…

Vegan Meze Platter | danicaliforniacooks.com I hesitate to even call this a recipe, since it’s really an assortment of various items beautifully displayed together. Although you could easily cook each of the items on your own, I made my own babaghanoush but used storebought hummus and pre-marinated artichoke hearts and sundried tomatoes. It made for this to be really simple to throw together, and when you decorate with a couple of sprigs of mint and parsley - it looks incredibly visually appealing and (mildly) professional. I didn’t even tell my guests that this was going to be coined as “vegan” dish and they didn’t even ask twice about it - although I’m sure a bit of feta would have been a nice addition. Vegan Meze Platter | danicaliforniacooks.com This is a fantastic appetizer for entertaining, because you can assemble the majority of the plate ahead of time, and then just lay out the hummus and babaghanoush before serving. It makes for a very stress-free hosting experience, and there is something for everyone to enjoy on the platter. We actually went through several iterations of this plate because I had leftovers of everything and my guests were hungry! But yeah, by the time the real food came around, no one was hungry. If I could eat grape leaves and dried fruit and babaghanoush and call it my dinner most nights, I would be a happy little food blogger!

Vegan Meze Platter | danicaliforniacooks.com

Vegan Meze Platter
 
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There's something about a Mediterranean meze platter that I think is inherently kind of sexy - it's delicious, great for entertaining, healthy, and transporting.
Author:
Serves: 6-8 servings
Ingredients
  • Hummus (homemade or store bought)
  • Babaghanoush (homemade or store bought)
  • Handful of olives - green and kalamata
  • Marinated artichokes and sundried tomatoes
  • Dried fruits (dates, figs, apricots)
  • Fresh fruits (grapes, figs)
  • Nuts (almonds and pistachios)
  • Grape leaves (I used store bought from Whole Foods)
  • Crackers and/or pita
  • Mint and parsley for garnish
Instructions
  1. Place the hummus and the babaghanoush in little serving bowls
  2. On a large serving platter, distribute the items around the sides of the plates - make sure that people sitting around your table will have equal access to each nibble (to prevent having to turn the plate around and around your table)
  3. In the center, place the pita/crackers
  4. Surround the pita/crackers with the serving bowls of babaghanoush and hummus
  5. Garnish the entire plate with mint and parsley
  6. Serve with great wine and great company!
Notes
Slices of feta are a great addition for those who are non-vegan.

If you like this, you’ll love: Spicy Vegan Black Bean Dip

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Chewy Multigrain Chocolate Protein Bars

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Make your own portable protein bars using six ingredients - coming in at 195 calories, 12g of protein, and only 3g of sugar each, and no food processor required!

In the first couple of months that I traveled weekly for work after I graduated college, my nutrition was all out of whack. I remember there were some days that I woke up early to work out but not enough time for breakfast so I scarfed down a protein bar on the way to the client site, and then didn’t have time to pick up a real food dinner on my flight home so there was another overly processed protein bar for dinner - sometimes two. Gosh, that grosses me out just to write about it! Nowadays, I am MUCH more prepared and have learned how to eat healthy on the road. I recapped a travel day’s daily eats yesterday to prove it.

Chewy Multigrain Chocolate Protein Bars | danicaliforniacooks.com My early morning Monday flights used to leave me in a conundrum for what I would do for breakfast. Sometimes I would hold off until I landed on my layover to grab some eggs in the airport, just to grow crazy hungry and drinking terrible plane coffee on an empty stomach. It would affect my energy all day. Nowadays, I am so much more prepared and I always arrive on my first flight Monday morning with a healthy, homemade, portable breakfast. Developing breakfast foods that don’t need to be heated or cooked (so no scrambled eggs) and is compliant with TSA liquid standards (no yogurt or smoothies) have been a fun task for this food blogger!

Chewy Multigrain Chocolate Protein Bars | danicaliforniacooks.com So, finally introducing these awesome protein bars. Made with only six ingredients - oats, quinoa, protein powder, peanut butter, eggs, and almond milk - they travel beautifully, have a great chewy texture, and couldn’t be a better combo of healthy fats, whole grains, and protein to get your day started off right. And I can attest to their staying power - I ate one of these on Monday with a banana and some blueberries, and it held me over until I was able to grab lunch at 2pm!

Chewy Multigrain Chocolate Protein Bars | danicaliforniacooks.com I find that a lot of homemade protein bars or energy bars either fall apart in your bag when not kept in the fridge, or are held together with a bunch of brown rice syrup or honey. There’s none of any of that going on here. While Nate thought they weren’t sweet enough, and as I raced out the door to catch my Uber, he yelled after me that he was going to nuke one of these and then “cover it in maple syrup”. But I thought they were just sweet enough! You certainly don’t want something too sweet to trigger a sweet tooth craving too early in the day, especially if yours is extra sensitive like me.

Chewy Multigrain Chocolate Protein Bars | danicaliforniacooks.com These protein bars require no food processor, and just one bowl and a baking dish. You probably have all of these ingredients on-hand already - I know I did. No rushing to the grocery store because you forgot the green onion - not for these babies! I’m looking forward to sharing more of my homemade, travel eats with you on the blog over the next couple of months. Whether you’re on a road trip or an international flight, these protein bars are a fantastic option to have around!

6-Ingredient Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars
 
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Make your own portable protein bars using six ingredients - coming in at 195 calories. 12g of protein, and 3g sugar each - no food processor required! Gluten free too.
Author:
Ingredients
  • 1 cup rolled oats, uncooked
  • ½ cup quinoa, cooked
  • ½ cup chocolate protein powder
  • ⅓ cup peanut butter, room temperature
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • Dash of salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F
  2. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl
  3. In a greased baking dish, pour in the batter evenly
  4. Bake for 20 minutes
  5. Let cool, and cut into bars
  6. Wrap individually in plastic wrap for easy grab-and-go!
  7. Store in the fridge
Notes
I used a 6-cup baking dish, but double the recipe if using a 9x13!
Nutrition Information
Calories: 195 Fat: 10g Sugar: 3g Protein: 12g

If you like this, you’ll love: Coconut Almond Energy Bars

Coconut Almond Energy Bars | danicaliforniacooks.com

No Bake Vegan Brownies

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Looking for a healthy, gluten free dessert to whip up that requires no baking and only four ingredients? This (surprisingly) crowd-pleasing brownies recipe has got you covered!

Brownies44 Whether you’re a home chef or a professional recipe developer - there are some times when you know what you’ve put together is going to be a hit, and other times when you’re a bit shy and nervous to allow your taste testers to give their feedback. I’ve certainly had quite a few misses when I’ve tried a new recipe or done one from “memory”. Like the one time I tried to make frozen bananas and the almond butter shelling just sludged right off when I removed from the freezer? And when I was younger, and my brother and I made cookies and we FORGOT THE FLOUR? Oh, the flashbacks! Anyways, I was having two of my closest guy friends over for dinner a few weeks ago, and I had cooked up a hearty main course that I knew everyone was going to like. But when it came to dessert, I opened the fridge and we had no eggs! So I needed to improvise when it came to dessert.

Brownies23 I gravitated towards the food processor instead of the oven for this one, and mixed up oats, dates, chopped dark chocolate and coconut oil until the texture and consistency was right. It smelled heavenly! After popping in the fridge for a bit and then cutting into squares, I knew that I personally loved how these turned out and could easily eat the entire batch. But two hungry 20-something-year-old boys? I figured they’d balk at “vegan” and “no bake”. So I set out some ice cream from Sweet Rose Creamery (if you live in the LA area - you MUST GO HERE. I’m not a huge ice cream person but I had a revelation at Sweet Rose) and I also gingerly placed these brownies to the side.

Brownies90 I probably introduced these brownies in a way that was not setting them up for any success (“ummm so I tried something new today…they are healthy…not sure if you’ll like them…but yeah” and my friends and family eagerly grabbed one or two and exclaimed “these are actually really good!” I was surprised! Particularly surprised that my mom really liked them because she tends to be very traditional when it comes to the sweets she enjoys. We finished the entire batch! So I am DEFINITELY going to make these again for a work event or a party, because I know they will please all palettes and everyone will be surprised with the healthy ingredient breakdown.

Brownies45 So I’ll have my misses here in the DCC kitchen, but I’ll try and share only the hits with you. Thankfully, this one is a keeper. Happy non-baking, y’all!

No Bake Vegan Brownies | danicaliforniacooks.com

No Bake Vegan Brownies
 
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These crowd-pleasing vegan and gluten free brownies require only four healthy ingredients and no oven!
Author:
Serves: 1 dozen
Ingredients
  • 1 cup oats
  • ½ cup chopped dates
  • ⅓ cup chopped dark chocolate
  • 1½ tbsp coconut oil, room temperature
  • Kosher salt
Instructions
  1. Place all ingredients, minus the salt, in a food processor
  2. Pulse until ingredients are well combined and sticking together - will take 2-3 minutes
  3. Form into a ball and cover in plastic wrap
  4. Let refrigerate for several minutes to harden
  5. Using a rolling pin, roll until ¼ inch thick and cut into squares
  6. Re-roll excess dough and cut into squares until all the dough is gone
  7. Sprinkle a little salt over each
  8. Store in the fridge, remove for 10 minutes before serving!
If you like this, you’ll love: Chocolate Banana Bread Snack Balls

Chocolate Banana Bread Snack Balls | danicaliforniacooks.com

How to Make Dried Fruit in the Oven + Third Cooking Resolution!

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Making pliable, chewy dried fruit in the oven is totally possible, and can save you lots of sugar from store-bought products. Check out the results of my cooking experiment using three different fruits below!

How to Make Dried Fruit in the Oven | danicaliforniacooks.com For those who are unfamiliar with my “conquest”, I set out at the beginning of 2015 with a new cooking resolution for every month - January was making homemade Larabars and February I took on making fresh spring rolls. So I was super excited to try out experimenting with making dried fruit in the oven because I LOVE DRIED FRUIT. When I was in Turkey and Israel this past year, I pretty much subsisted off dried dates and dried figs. I really can’t keep them around the house. However, most store-bought dried fruit contains a lot of extra sugar and preservatives to keep it chewy, fresh, and sweet. Trader Joe’s have some awesome unsulfured, unsweetened dried fruits, and I figured I could try and recreate them at home so I wouldn’t have to buy it any longer!

How to Make Dried Fruit in the Oven | danicaliforniacooks.com So I chopped up my experimentation subjects (ew?), and set my own to a low, low temperature of 140 degrees. And then I let the fruit sit in their all day. I turned it every so often. The mangoes were the first to dry properly, and I removed them at 8 hours. The apples, I took out after 12 hours but they crisped up once removed from the oven and turned into apple chips, but then became more pliable the next day. And the strawberries? I cranked it up to 190 degrees after removing the apples and those guys probably could have stayed in the oven for another couple hours but I took them out after 14. The fruit shrinks down like CRAZY, so make sure to slice relatively big pieces of each and choose large strawberries.

How to Make Dried Fruit in the Oven | danicaliforniacooks.com I went to Trader Joe’s to see how much money I was saving by making my own dried fruit, and that’s when I was thoroughly disappointed. A bag of unsulfured, unsweetened mango cost only $2.99! The mango itself cost about that much, and I spent all day tending to it’s needs in the oven! So I set out to write this blog post about how disappointed I was in my dried fruit experimenting. I wasn’t sure if it was worth it. And then I actually sampled my test subjects.

How to Make Dried Fruit in the Oven | danicaliforniacooks.com The apples had the most unbelievable flavor and texture. The strawberries were better than gummy candy, and were sweet and tangy at the same time. The mangoes tasted exactly like one’s from Trader Joe’s. My mom and I were both kind of surprised with how truly DELICIOUS these homemade dried fruits were! I think I’ll stick to buying Trader Joe’s dried mangoes when my self-control allows me to have dried fruit around the house, but I’ll definitely make the dried apples and strawberries again. I have grand visions of the snacking on the dried strawberries during movies instead of Twizzlers…

How to Make Dried Fruit in the Oven | danicaliforniacooks.com

Bringing the snacks to some taste testers…

How to Make Dried Fruit in the Oven
 
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Making dried fruit in the oven is possible, and can save you lots of sugar!
Author:
Ingredients
  • Mango, peeled, cored, and sliced
  • Large strawberries, stems removed
  • Apples, cored and thickly sliced
Instructions
  1. Turn your oven as low as it will go. For some, it is 200 degrees F and for others it is 130 degrees F. The lower the heat, the more time it will take to dry the fruit but usually better the texture
  2. I set my oven to 140, and then cranked it up to 190 when I took out the mangos
  3. Place the fruit on a baking sheet, and do not allow each piece to touch
  4. Put in the oven, and let them start their long drying process
  5. After a couple hours, check in on your fruits. You will likely want to flip the mango and the apple slices
  6. Continue to monitor the fruit for texture and dryness that you're looking for. Most fruit will take 8-12 hours to dry, depending on the heat of your oven and the thickness of your fruit
  7. The mangos took 8 hours
  8. The apples took 12 hours
  9. The strawberries took 14 hours
  10. Remove from oven once finished drying, and store in a glass jar or plastic bag.
  11. They will last for months!