Black Bean Brownies

Ingredients:

1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained or 1 1/2 cups cooked dried beans
3 eggs
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup Coconut Sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 pinch of sea salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips





Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8×8 pan. Place beans in food processor and process until mashed. Add eggs, vanilla, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, sugar and oil. Process until smooth. Pour into pan and sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Bake for 30-35 minutes.

These brownies are VERY popular with the staff at Cochran's!

Avocado Banana Chocolate Pudding

2 ripe avocados
2 bananas
4 tsp. of unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. vanilla
sweetener (optional) - you can use honey.

What to do...

Cut open the avocados, scoop out all the deliciousness and place it in a food processor.

Add the bananas to the avocados.

Turn on the food processor and mix until it is nice and creamy.

At this point, you could leave it and eat as is.
However, if you love chocolate like I do, continue on with the recipe.

Add the vanilla, cocoa powder and sweetener to the food processor and blend it up until it is evenly distributed. Check the pudding before serving to make sure you have reached a consistency and flavour that you prefer.

You can eat it right away or chill it, covered, in the fridge. I recommend not leaving it in the fridge for too long as a thin skin will start to form on the top.

Now, grab a spoon and dig in!

Slow-Cooker Mushroom-Herb Bread Stuffing

Photo: Alan Richardson

[From Woman's Day]
Serves: 8
Total Time: 6 hr
Prep Time: 25 min

Nutritional Information
(per serving)
Calories 200
Total Fat 10g
Saturated Fat 5g
Cholesterol 56mg
Sodium 699mg
Total Carbohydrate 23g
Dietary Fiber 4g
Sugars n/a
Protein 6g
Calcium --



Ingredients
1 stick(s) (1/2 cup) butter
2 medium onions,  chopped
2 cup(s) chopped celery
12 ounce(s) mushrooms,  sliced cup(s) chopped parsley
2 teaspoon(s) dried sage
1 teaspoon(s) each poultry seasoning and dried thyme
1/2    teaspoon(s) dried marjoram
5 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
1/2    teaspoon(s) ground black pepper
2 3/4 cup(s) chicken broth
2 large eggs
1 loaf(s) (1 lb) whole-wheat bread, torn in pieces,  left out overnight to dry directions

Have ready a 5-qt or larger slow-cooker.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and celery; sauté 8 to 10 minutes until translucent. Add mushrooms; cook 5 minutes. Stir in parsley, sage, poultry seasoning, thyme, marjoram, salt and pepper. Transfer to cooker

Whisk broth and eggs in a bowl to combine. Stir, with the bread, into cooker mixture until blended. Cook on high 45 minutes then reduce heat to low and cook 4 to 6 hours.

Avocado and Goat Cheese Dip

1 large avocado
2 tbsp fat free sour cream
2 oz of goat cheese
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning
1 tsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined.

You can dip Baked Beet Chips in this fabulous dip.

Baked Beet Chips

3-4 large beets
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350. Using a mandolin or a sharp knife, slice the beets into thin slices.











Toss with the olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and lay into one layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes until crisp.


Cool on a wire rack until completely cool.

I recommend you serve them with our Avocado and Goat Cheese Dip.

Tim's Fresh Guacamole

You'll need...

3 ripe Avocados 

Pinch of sea salt

Fresh Ground Pepper

1/2 Lime

1/2 Sweet Onion

Medium Tomato

1/4 of a fresh Jalepeno Pepper

3-4 Corriander Leaves

Mash 3 ripe avocados, add a pinch of sea salt and fresh ground pepper,

juice of 1/2 of a fresh lime squeeze over it. Stir.  

Add 1/2 a sweet onion chopped fine, a medium tomato chopped coarse,

a 1/4 of a fresh jalepeno pepper chopped fine and 3 or 4 corriander leaves chopped fine. 

Stir together and chill for 20 minutes and serve.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

(Ashley Tested & Approved!)
Original recipe makes 12 servings

3 pounds cubed beef stew meat
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup baby carrots
4 large potatoes, cubed
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups boiling water
1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
3 tablespoons butter
3 onions, sliced
1/4 cup red wine
1/4 cup warm water
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Directions
Place meat in a large plastic bag. Combine 1/4 cup flour with 1/2 teaspoon salt; pour into the bag with the meat, and shake to coat.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add stew meat, and cook until evenly browned on the outside. Transfer to a slow cooker along with the carrots, potatoes, parsley, and pepper. In a small bowl, stir together 2 cups of boiling water and dry soup mix; pour into the slow cooker.

In the same skillet, melt butter and saute onions until softened; remove to the slow cooker. Pour red wine into the skillet, and stir to loosen browned bits of food on the bottom. Remove from heat, and pour into the slow cooker.

Cover, and cook on High for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to Low, and cook for 6 hours, or until meat is fork tender. In a small bowl or cup, mix together 2 tablespoons flour with 1/4 cup warm water. Stir into stew, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, or until thickened.