Making chocolate the easy way {VIDEO}

There’s no better feeling than giving something that’s truly caring . . . and getting the credit for being a magically creative chocolate maker.

Japanese Pumpkin Pie

Conventional pumpkins continually overshadow a vast, deliciously endowed, and diverse spectrum of beautiful winter squash, time and time again in recipes. But not this year…

Our sweet prayers answered: Yacon Root

The holidays are just setting in and I’m stoked. I have an amazing pumpkin pie recipe that I’ll be posting in the next few days, just in time for Thanksgiving. In it, I’m using a special healthy sweetener called yacon syrup, which is made from a sweet, low glycemic root. I thought I’d give you a little headstart on the recipe, so here’s a quick video I did with Navitas Naturals on this amazing ingredient.

Double Chocolate Hazelnut Candies

Needless to say, these candies are an all-around “yes.” The exterior chocolate coating will remain solid at room temperature, and the inside pocket is a soft, sweet blend of cacao and hazelnuts.

Homemade Energy Bars

I look at energy bars with an opportunistic attitude: how much goodness can I pack into a great tasting treat? Make that energy bar live up to its name! Here’s how to make a truly natural bar…

Perfect Kale Crisps

By this point in time, I have more recipes for kale crisps then I care to admit. There really is no one right formula to make them, but there are a few tricks in getting them to cook properly. Here are a few suggestions . . .

The great egg substitute

One of my favorite baking facelifts is replacing eggs with “superseeds” like flax or chia, which are full of omega fats, fiber, protein and minerals. I swear: your muffins can’t tell the difference. Here’s the formula…

Out with the cane, in with the palm sugar (with video)

When I need a sweet boost in recipes I’ll always turn to fruit or stevia first (whole natural foods = yay!), but when those foods simply can’t pull the weight, it’s palm sugar comes to the rescue. I teamed up with superfoods company Navitas Naturals a couple weeks ago — who offers organic palm sugar — and shot this fun Navitas-style video for their “Chef’s Notes” video series.

Parsnip Fries

I wish I had a brownie for every time I’ve been informed that eating naturally is simply too hard. While making fancy shmancy meals can be a fun project, uber delicious healthy food doesn’t have to be complicated…