Valentine's Day is finally upon us. This is a day when most people are more aware of their feelings, words, emotions and actions (if we could only live like everyday were Valentine's Day). This is also a day of giving sweet gifts to represent our affections. While giving and receiving sweet treats is always a nice feeling, giving and receiving treats made with pure ingredients can make us feel even better, literally. I understand that not everyone may be handy in the kitchen so I have included some amazing sites at the end of the post to visit where you can purchase confections that are made with pure ingredients and no extra garbage added. By garbage I mean all those ingredients that no one even knows how to pronounce and all those wonderful dye's that studies have shown to be counter productive at helping those with ADHD, known carcinogens, inflammation makers and asthma inducers. If all that sounds yummy to you then, by all means, grab the cheap and convenient grocery store candies and treats. For me, I think I'll stick to making my own or purchasing chemical free varieties.
Believe me, I understand that money does not grow on trees and buying the chemical free versions may be a little pricey. However, it is still sugar so although it may be fun, it is not necessary. There are tons of other fun ways to show your love without going the sweet treat route. Target or The Dollar Tree have cute and fun holiday themed items you can give your little love bunnies. You can make up a bag or basket full of Valentine socks, coloring books, books, erasers, picture frames, games or even $5 dollar gift cards to the book store or department stores. For those that are feeling adventurous, I have included some of my favorite recipes to try, so get your pen and paper to start that Valentine grocery list.
Chocolate Candies
You can use any candy molds you like, of course hearts, roses or lips would be appropriate for Valentine's Day (Michael's, Target, Walmart, etc. sell tons of different designs and they are low cost and can be reused).
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. coconut oil (you can use any oil you choose, try to avoid corn and peanut oil)
2/3 c. cocoa, cacao or carob powder
2 Tbsp. agave nectar or pure maple syrup (that means no Aunt Jemima or Mrs. Butterworth, Costco sells both the agave and pure maple syrup for a very reasonable price)
Directions:
1. If using coconut oil, melt over medium heat.
2. Once melted, add powder and agave, whisk until heated and well incorporated. Do not let it boil.
3. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a minute or so.
4. Using a small spoon begin to fill the molds all the way to the top.
5. Place in the fridge or freezer to set.
6. Once completely set, they should just pop right out. Flip mold upside down and gently push the plastic or silicon side to help it out. Store in cute holiday themed baggies, boxes or tins in the fridge or freezer until ready to give.
Tip = if you don't want to buy candy molds, you can always use mini muffin tins. Place cupcake or candy liners in the tin before filling with the chocolate.
Sugar Cookies
Ingredients:
2 1/2 c. all purpose GF flour
2 tsp. baking powder, aluminum free
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. coconut sugar
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract (not imitation, again, Costco sells a big bottle for like $4)
1 c. vegan margarine (most grocery stores carry the Earth Balance brand which is amazing)
Directions:
1. Prepare two cookie sheets with parchment paper, set aside and preheat oven to 350.
2. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt, whisk to incorporate.
3. In a large bowl cream sugar, vanilla and margarine together until smooth.
4. Gradually add dry ingredients, really work at incorporating before trying to add any liquids (if you still thinks it's too dry, add non-dairy milk one tablespoon at a time until you get a firm dough that holds together).
5. Divide the dough into two equal balls, place on plastic wrap push it down to form a disc shape. Wrap it tight and place in the fridge for at least an hour.
6. Remove one disc at a time to start creating your cookies.
7. Place dough between two sheets of parchment paper (this allows you to work the dough without adding more flour). Roll it out to about 3/4 inch thick and cut out your shapes.
8. With a spatula, place on a parchment prepared cookie sheet.
9. Bake about 10 minutes or until cookies start to brown slightly. Remove from oven, place on a cooling rack. Cool completely before decorating.
Chocolate Dipping Sauce
Ingredients:
1 bag of non-dairy chocolate chips (Enjoy Life makes a great allergy friendly brand found at most grocery stores).
Anything you want to dip (organic strawberries, vegan marshmallows, GF pretzels, etc.)
Directions:
1. Melt the chocolate over medium heat, watch carefully, whisking often, do not let it boil.
2. Once melted, remove from heat, allow to cool for a minute.
3. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet and start dipping. Allow excess chocolate to drip off and place on cookie sheet. Place in the fridge to set and store in holiday themed bags, boxes or tins in the fridge until ready to give.
Creating your own colored dyes is not as difficult as it may seem. Do you notice how vibrant and beautiful the colors of fruits and veggies are? What about the spices in your cupboard? Well those are nature's dye's at your disposal. I have experimented with every piece of produce and spice imaginable. To quickly get the liquid rainbow you can juice beets for red and pink, blueberries for purple, cherries or strawberries for pink, spinach for green, cinnamon or cocoa powder for browns and tans, turmeric for yellows, sweet potatoes for orange, the list goes on and on. Depending on how deep of a color you want will depend on how much liquid dye you add to the frosting recipe. One thing to keep in mind, hold off on adding any other liquids like non-dairy milk, vanilla or water until you see how much color you add. Once you have the color you can slowly, one teaspoon at a time, add any additional liquids until you have the frosting consistency you like.
If you don't have a juicer, you can place the produce in a pot and heat over medium heat, reduce to low until the colors release into a liquid. Run the water through a mesh strainer to catch the produce or any of it's pulp left behind. The colors may not be as vibrant as the pure juiced form.
Which ever method you use, be sure to use the left over pulp or pieces in dinner, muffins or bread (you can freeze the pulp and pieces to use later). Most of the dyes will not even be tasted in the frosting. A few of the sweet fruits and spices do leave a touch of added flavor (like the strawberries, blueberries, cinnamon). If you're worried about the spinach and beets, I swear, you cannot taste them in the frosting.
Okay, here is the frosting recipe...
Cookie Frosting
If you only want white frosting, you will use the recipe as is.
Ingredients:
1/2 c. vegan margarine
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract (remember to not add this yet if using dyes)
2 c. organic powdered sugar
1-2 Tbsp. nondairy milk (don't add it yet if using dyes)
Directions:
1. Using a stand or hand held mixer, combine margarine and sugar. Mix well.
2. Start adding dye a few drops at a time, mixing well in between until you have the color you want. If you need to add more liquid, now you can add the vanilla and/or milk.
3. Frost cookies to your hearts desire. Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer if not eating right away.
Tip = Store any leftover dyes in a covered ice cube tray for easy access next time you need them.
Last, but not least, here are some websites to check out if you want to purchase already made treats.
http://www.naturalcandystore.com
http://www.amazon.com
Many grocery stores carry candies, gummies and other treats that are free of disease causing ingredients. Yummy Earth, Surf Sweets and Annie's Homegrown are a few to try. The most important thing you can do for your family is to start reading the ingredients listed. If you cannot pronounce the the items listed chances are, you're better off skipping it altogether. I may sound harpy to some, but with childhood obesity, ADHD, skin rashes, asthma, allergies and diabeties on the rise, taking the time to learn about what's in your food in the best proactive approach at safeguarding yourself and your loved ones and once those medical bills and visits start to decrease you'll see that added bonus. So in the end, you actually will be saving you money.
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