Chocolate Mint Dessert Tea - Tea Blend of the Month

I tried to refrain from creating another Valentine Tea for February, but I realized I never made up one with mint and chocolate, so here you are a dessert-inspired tea perfect for February evenings. This tea uses Rooibus as the main flavor, this caffeine-free plant from Africa has a taste similar to green tea.

Chocolate Mint Dessert Tea

• 1 part rooibos
• ½ part chopped pieces of dark chocolate
• ½ part peppermint
• a sprinkle of vanilla seed or powdered vanilla

Blend ingredients together and store in tight sealing lidded jar.

TO USE: Add one tsp per cup of hot water to a mug or teapot and steep for 5 minutes

Strawberry, Marshmallow and Brownie Bite Skewers, a Valentine Weekend Recipe

Chocolate is an herb and the best holiday for this herb is Valentine's day. With the "day" being on Monday many folks are celebrating over the weekend. We have this recipe for fun marshmallow, strawberry and brownie skewers. Since the theme this month is Breakfast you can serve these strawberry and brownie skewers as a breakfast treat, but you can also save them for a dessert that is perfect for Valentine’s Weekend!

What you Need

• Strawberries, cleaned and green tops removed
• Marshmallows, toasted
• 1/3 cup White Chocolate, melted
• 1/3 cup Dark Chocolate, melted
• 1-inch brownie bites

For the Brownie Bites
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups white sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper and spray with non-stick baking spray.

In a pot over medium heat, combine the butter, sugar, cocoa powder and salt and mix for until the butter has melted and the sugar and cocoa is smooth. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla and eggs, whisk to combine. Stir in the flour and chocolate chips and set aside.

Transfer the batter to the prepared baking sheet and transfer to the oven and bake for 25-27 minutes until done.

Remove the baking tin from the oven, and let it cool to room temperature before removing the bites and let them cool completely. I prefer to stick the baking pan in the freezer once it’s slightly cooled so it’s easier to cut the brownies into squares.

Once cooled. cut the brownies into small bite 1-inch squares.

Making the Skewers

I toasted the marshmallows on a skewer over the flame of our gas stove.  You can also do it over an unscented candle.

On medium sized skewers, alternate a toasted marshmallow, a strawberry, a brownie bite, another strawberry and finish with an additional toasted marshmallow.

Drizzle with white and dark chocolate and serve as needed. 

RECIPE THEME

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  This year we have 12 new topics, different from the topics of last year.  

To find the recipes of last year, check out this recipe link or search the blog with the topic Recipe2018, Recipe2019, or Recipe2020.

 
You can search the monthly theme by looking for the theme keyword in the search box and it will pull up the recipes on that theme as posted, so look at the bottom of the recipe in each posting for the KEYWORD for each month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2021 so you can find them all.

The themes are:
Jan 2021 – Baked Items
Feb 2021 – Breakfast Dishes
March 2021 – Italian Dishes
April 2021 - Chicken Recipes
May 2021 - Appetizers
June 2021 – Mediterranean Dishes
July 2021 – Pork Recipes
August 2021 - Seafood
September 2021 - Pizzas
October 2021 – Mexican Dishes
November 2021 - Cookies
December 2021 – Gift Recipes

Vegan Dark Chocolate Mousse - final theme recipe

I promised a vegetarian dessert recipe at the beginning of the month and this from Mother Nature Network is the best.  It uses no animal ingredients and gives the rich flavor of dark chocolate.  Next month the recipe theme is zucchini, so we will have some fun with this abundant vegetable!

Dark Chocolate Vegan Mousse  

1 cup coconut milk

1 cup chopped dark chocolate (75% or darker)
1 tablespoon agave syrup
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons candied ginger
Toasted hazelnuts for garnish

Directions

In a food processor, grate the candied ginger as fine as you can get it. The finer the better.  In a small saucepan on medium-low heat, combine the coconut milk, chocolate chunks and agave syrup. Stir constantly until the chocolate is completely melted. Remove from heat.  Stir in the cardamom, sea salt and ginger.

Pour the mousse into individual containers, like a ramekin or ½ pint canning jar. Refrigerate the mousse until completely chilled -- a minimum of 2-4 hours, depending on the size of container you use.  Just before serving, add the toasted hazelnuts.

Note: Even grated, the candied ginger has a texture that keeps the mousse from being perfectly smooth. If the texture bothers you, you can leave the candied ginger out, and sprinkle pieces of it on top with the toasted hazelnuts as a garnish. You'll still get the flavor, but with a distinctly different texture. 

RECIPE THEME

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  This year we have 12 new topics, different from the topics of last year.  To find the recipes of last year, check out this recipe link or search the blog with the topic Recipe2018. 

You can search the monthly theme by looking for the theme keyword in the search box and it will pull up the recipes on that theme as posted, so look at the bottom of the recipe in each posting for the KEYWORD in the () to search for each  month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2019 so you can find them all.

The themes are:

Jan 2019 – Chicken and Dumplings (CDumpsJan)

Feb 2019 - Pasta Dishes (PastaFeb)

March 2019 - Edible Flowers (FlowerMar)

April 2019 - Seafood Recipes (SeafoodApr)

May 2019 - Cajun And Creole (C&CMay)

June 2019 - Vegetarian Dishes (VegJun)

July 2019 - Zucchini Recipes

August 2019 - National Mustard Day – mustard recipes

September 2019 - Quiche

October 2019 - Crock Pot meals

November 2019 - Pies

December 2019 - Mocktails

How Tuesday - Chocolate Dipped Spoons

Stir a little sweetness into a cup of coffee or cocoa with a seasonal spoon.  I love making chocolate spoons.  They make great favors, wonderful gifts and they are fun to use.

For Halloween they can be decorated to be ghosts, spider webs or other spooky creatures and for Christmas or Hanukkah they can be sprinkled with colored sugar in appropriate colors.

Candied Spoons

12 oz. pkg semi sweet chocolate chips

2 tsp coconut oil
35 to 45 plastic spoons (you can use white, black, gold or silver or a mixture)
Candies, nonpareils and colored sugar for garnish

Line baking sheets with parchment paper and place a couple of round handled spoons in the middle of the baking sheet.

Place chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on medium for 30 seconds.  Stir to be sure all the chips have melted.  Add shortening to thin chocolate and stir gently.

Dip each spoon into chocolate mixture to cover the bowl of the spoon.  Place on parchment paper with the bowl edge resting on handle of wooden spoon to keep it above the paper.

After chocolate begins to harden, but is still soft add sprinkles of colored sugar, mini chips or other decorations to the chocolate.

Once chocolate has hardened (which will take some time), wrap each spoon with cellophane or a small plastic bag.

Alternates: Use white chocolate and add two mini semi-sweet chips for eyes to make ghosts, or sprinkle with blue sugar for a Hanukkah treat. Use a large marshmallow on a stick instead of a spoon for the perfect cocoa stir.

Decorate with tags and ribbon for favors and gifts.

Wrap each spoon in cellophane and place in a mug to display.

Tie them with ribbon to a package of hot cocoa or coffee to make a teacher or friend gift.

Hot Cocoa and Chocolate Shortbread

Happy Monday -

It snowed Yesterday!  I have been waiting for it to snow this year!  It started around 10 am and was still coming down heavily at 2 in the afternoon!  I was out taking pictures and enjoying the muffled quiet that comes with snow falling and just getting myself in the spirit of the season.

I have many orders to make and a show on December 10 and my open house on December 11, both of which should have many visitors browsing so I have lots things to do, but I had to take a break and enjoy the snow!

And just to get you thinking about the outdoors and cocoa here is a chocolate shortbread recipe:

Chocolate Shortbread
This goes well with hot cocoa!

1 cup flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 Tbls. cocoa powder
1/2 cup softened butter

Directions:
Cream the butter.  Then add the entire package of Shortbread Mix and work in. Knead the resulting dough on an unfloured surface until nice and smooth.  Firmly press the dough, working from the center out into an oiled pan.  Prick the surface with a fork all over . Bake at 325 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.

Healthy Trail Mix

Trail mix is a great snack because it packs a caloric punch, but doesn’t take up a lot of space. When car traveling, biking, gardening, or just spending a day away from home, trail mix can easily fit into a backpack or purse and give you the energy you need when your resources run low. But, not all mixes are created equal, some are just sugary snacks that provide little besides sugar and fat, so rather than buy something you can easily craft your own healthy snack. Trail mix is supposed to provide your body with the calories and nutrients necessary to keep you moving. A bit of sugar is not bad, but don’t overdo it.

There are a few items that are a must in any good trail mix:

·         Almonds

·         Dark Chocolate

·         Oats

·         Unsweetened Fruit

Our recipe is going to have more nuts (as we are competing in a contest with nuts.com) but I find the protein in nuts makes a trail mix stick better and give more energy, especially when I am out gardening or riding my bike.  And if you are wondering where the herb is… it is the chocolate!

The first thing I did to make this mix was prep some oats. Oats are high in fiber and have been shown to help reduce cholesterol and protect the body from heart disease. When making your own trail mix, toast rolled oats in the oven on a baking sheet to cook, then add flavor with a few drops of vanilla extract or a sprinkle of cinnamon. I went one step farther and stirred mine with melted dark chocolate that I drizzled over the oats while they were warm then gave a quick stir to create little morsels of oat and chocolate. You need only a small amount of oats in a blend because they give large amounts of energy.

Next thing I wanted was nuts, I went with peanuts, cashews, pistachios and the almonds. Stay clear of salted varieties that might make you feel extra thirsty out on the trails. I opt for dry roasted peanuts, unsalted cashews and Pistachios. Pistachios are a nut that has all the good cholesterols and fats you need for heart health and for feeling full which helps you eat less. For the Almonds I actually went with dark chocolate and coconut covered almonds.  I get the antioxidant properties of dark chocolate and the vitamin E in the almonds. The reason I use dark chocolate is because unlike milk chocolate or sugar-coated candies, dark chocolate has a strong, rich flavor and a little bit goes a long way.

Along with these I like the natural sweetness of dried fruits.  A dried fruit concentrates the natural sugars so there is no need to get sugar dusted or coated fruits.  The added vitamins and minerals along with the energy from the natural sugar (fructose) is very satisfying and the calories provide lasting energy instead of a quick high.  I am choosing two super fruits cranberries and goji berries.  Goji is the English translation of the Chinese word gouqi.  They are actually called wolfberries and are in the nightshade family, but is used in traditional Chinese medicine. Adding superfruits is a strong energy and health related addition to trail mix.

My husband has diabetes and superfuits give him the sugar regulating energies his body needs and keeping them unsweetened means we are not adding too much sugar to his diet.

For fun I am adding a few peanut M&M and chocolate covered expresso beans. Just enough that you get a bit of a surprise in each handful, but not so much that it ruins all the healthy benefits of the remaining ingredients.

So let’s blend:

Dark Chocolate and Fruit Trail Mix

1 cup cashews

½ cup dark chocolate oats

½ cup cranberries

½ cup goji berries

½ cup peanuts

¼ cup pistachios

2 Tbls peanut M&M

2 Tbls. coconut dark chocolate almonds

Blend it all in a big bowl by hand, then transfer to individual containers or bags for easy grab and dash.  Snack-size zip locks or single serve reusable plastic work perfect.. 

Last minute Make-at-Home Herb Gifts

Every year in this season, I post items on making your own gifts.  I think it is simple, easy and fun and gives you a great sense of accomplishment.  This year, I am making Tea Breads for those I care about!

In previous Advent Calendars I have posted recipes for making soups in jars and bath sachets and such.  (To check out the previous years of calendars, see my website.)  I also had a Gift Making Series a year or so ago that featured a few items to try:

Cinnamon Hot Pads 

Bath Sachets and lip balms

Quick and easy gifts (perfect for the last minutes!)

Gifts for Birds (outdoor birds!)

Try these quick gifts ideas too!

Sleep pillows
Gather equal portions of dried lavender, hops and rosemary. Grind the rosemary to release scent. Place inside a small muslin bag and secure firmly. You can add a few drops of lavender essential oil if you wish before securing the bag. The muslin bag can be placed inside a cotton case if desired. Place this sleep bag either on or under the pillow to aid sleep. It can also be used when travelling to aid sleep in a strange bed.

Scent bags
Fill a small muslin or organza bag with your herb of choice – lavender (soothing), rose petals (uplifting), lemon balm and marjoram (soothing), mugwort (to aid dreaming), pennyroyal (to deter insects).

Chocolate Spoons

Chocolate is an herb and I do not get the opportunity to suggest using it as often as I could, so here is a quick give you can make at home and enjoy the calorie free scent while you do it!

 Place a bundle of chocolate spoons set in a coffee mug makes a nice gift.  Tie a few spoons to a bag of gourmet coffee beans for a coffee loving friend (I have more of these friends than tea friends I am sad to say!) Or just keep the spoons on hand during the holidays to use when serving drinks to your visitors. They are great with a hot chocolate mix too!

Chocolate Spoons

§  12 ounce package of chocolate chips. You may use semi-sweet, white chocolate, raspberry flavored, or any other kind of baking chip of your choice.

§  40 heavy plastic spoons

§  Shortening

§  Deep glass measuring cup

§  Colored cellophane or Saran Wrap

§  Waxed paper

Directions

1.   Pour the chips into a heatproof container, such as a measuring cup. A deep cup is the best for this project.

2.   Microwave the cup of chips at half power for one minute. Stir. Repeat in 30 second bursts until chocolate is smooth and fully melted, but do NOT overcook.

3.   Add to the melted chocolate one teaspoon of shortening for each cup of chips. Stir lightly until just blended.

4.   Dip plastic spoons into the chocolate to coat the bowl and about one inch of the handle. If the chocolate starts to harden, microwave 30 seconds at half power.

5.   Lay spoons on wax paper to set, resting on the handle of a wooden spoon.. When chocolate spoons have set, put them in the freezer for 15 minutes. This makes them easier to handle when you start to wrap them.

6.   Take squares of colored cellophane and wrap the coated spoons. Tie with a pretty ribbon.

7.   Once you have mastered the basic technique, you can experiment! Try drizzling streaks of white chocolate over dipped spoons to create a design. Sprinkle colored sugar on chocolate before it sets for a holiday look.