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Meatless Beef Tacos

Posted on November 22, 2019November 22, 2019 by biglittlebites

You know how at the grocery store, they have all those meatless meat options? They never actually taste good, and they’re mostly made of overly processed ingredients like soy. Yah, that’s NOT what this is… and it tastes WAY better!

Faux meat at the grocery store is processed, so you really can’t even consider the ingredients to be whole foods. I love doing meatless nights multiple times a week for my family, but I don’t love processed foods and the health risks that come with them. This homemade, 2 ingredient, plant-based, meatless ground beef will blow your mind. Made of just minced walnuts and cauliflower, the resulting texture looks and feels like ground beef! With the addition of a few key spices, the flavor is delicious and will have you coming back for seconds. Does it taste just like ground beef? Let’s be honest – no plant-based food can replicate that flavor. BUT! It does taste really good and there’s no weird aftertaste like with some faux meats. All you really end up tasting, is the mixture of spices this healthy, plant-based meatless beef is cooked in, and that fits the bill for me!

The first thing you’ll want to do, is get out your food processor and mince 1.5 cups of walnuts with the chopping blade. Measure out 1 cup of the minced walnut, and place it in a large bowl. Now add an entire head of trimmed cauliflower florets to the food processor. Chop until minced, and measure out 1.5 cups to the bowl with the walnuts. Whatever leftover walnut and cauliflower you have, freeze them separately for later use.

In a separate small bowl or ramekin, stir the shiro miso paste with hot water to thin it out. Add all of the spices, garlic and miso to the large bowl of minced cauliflower and walnuts and stir to combine. If you’re looking for a great chili lime seasoning made from real foods and no “flavors” added, I highly recommend my personal favorite, Trader Joe’s Chili Lime Seasoning. I use it in all of my taco recipes! I always make sure to keep my spice cabinet stocked with it, because it’s that good!

* When you click on my favorite product links, I earn a tiny commission from qualifying purchases, at no cost to you*

Once you add the raw meatless beef mixture to a hot skillet with oil, let it cook undisturbed for 5 minutes at a time. The entire cooking process takes 15 minutes, and in between each 5 minute mark, you give it a stir and flip it around. Letting it cook undisturbed, allows the meatless beef to brown slightly; just don’t let it burn and adjust your heat accordingly. I like to cook it over medium-low heat, because it gives me more control. If you want to turn up the heat to move the process along faster, just be sure to keep an eye on the browning, and stir more frequently.

After 15 minutes of cooking the end result will resemble the texture of ground beef, but it will be a little lighter in color. Once I remove meatless beef from the heat, I sprinkle the juice from half a lime and stir the entire plant-based mixture together. The smell of raw cauliflower will be gone and undetectable. Meatless beef does not taste like walnuts or cauliflower, just the delicious flavors you mixed into it.

Prior to serving, I warm up corn tortillas in the oven at 200 degrees for about 5 minutes. I always choose non-GMO (not genetically modified) corn tortillas, and look for brands that use real ingredients without the junk added to it. I avoid genetically modified foods because there is no consensus on the safety and most of the research claiming GMO’s are safe has been performed by biotechnology companies, making it heavily skewed. It’s important to know there have been no epidemiological studies investigating potential effects of GMO food on human health. You can learn more and get facts on the Non-GMO Project website.

My favorite and trusted brands for clean-ingredient corn tortillas are Pinole Blue and Food for Life Ezekiel. Pinole Blue stone-grinds their own corn, and Food for Life uses sprouted corn for more health benefits and easier digestion. Both brands use only real food, non-GMO ingredients.

When you pull the corn tortillas from the oven, immediately shape them gently to hold the meatless beef and toppings. I carefully fold them in half without actually making a crease (which would tear them) and let them cool a bit in that position. Place a scoop of meatless beef in each shell, and top with your desired toppings. I love adding the crunchy texture of chopped purple cabbage, the tang of homemade pickled onions, and plenty of cilantro and avocado.

platter of pink corn tortillas stuffed with meatless ground beef and cilantro and avocado

Print Recipe

Meatless Beef Tacos

Course: Main Course

Servings:

Equipment

Food processor

Ingredients

1 c walnuts, ground
1.5 c cauliflower, ground
1 large clove of garlic, minced
1.5 tbsp chili lime seasoning
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground pepper
2 tbsp shiro miso
2 tsp hot water
2 tbsp avocado oil
1 package of soft corn tortillas

Toppings

1 lime, quartered
1/4 bunch of cilantro, chopped
1 poblano or jalapeno pepper, roasted and sliced
1 avocado
1/4 purple cabbage, sliced and chopped
pickled red onion

Instructions

Using a food processor, finely chop whole walnuts and cauliflower florets until they resemble minced meat.
Combined minced cauliflower and walnuts in a large bowl with the rest of the ingredients on the list, except for the oil.
Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-low for 5 minutes.
Add the 2 tablespoons of avocado oil to the hot skillet, and dump the entire bowl of ingredients into the skillet. Spread it out into one layer and cook undisturbed for 5 minutes.
Stir the mixture and flip it, and cook another 5 minutes undisturbed.
Stir a third time, and allow to cook for a final 5 minutes.
While the meatless beef is cooking, begin chopping, slicing your toppings.
When the meatless beef is finished cooking, remove from the heat and drizzle with a squeeze of lime.

How to Assemble Meatless Beef Tacos

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
Arrange the soft taco shells on a cookie sheet, side by side. It's ok if they overlap a little. Stick the cookie sheet into the oven for about 5 minutes to heat up the tacos.
When you remove them from the oven, top each one with a scoop of meatless beef. Top with your toppings of choice. We always do pickled red onions, chopped cabbage, avocado and cilantro! Yum!

Pumpkin Chia Oats

Posted on November 15, 2019November 23, 2019 by biglittlebites

Summer is a hard season to part with… longer days, warm temperatures, no school routine. But! There’s something about that fresh, crisp Fall air and the leaves changing color that makes me feel all kinds of cozy! I SO look forward to scoping out the Fall fashion trends all Spring and Summer and am such a sucker for all the sweaters and boots!

You know the other thing I’m a sucker for? All things pumpkin spice! I quit drinking coffee before my first pregnancy, so a decaf pumpkin spice latte is an occasional treat. The real magic for me though, is in pumpkin spiced foods! I used to buy canned pumpkin, but during my first pregnancy in 2009, I took a closer look at everything I was putting into my body and the lurking toxins, and thought twice. That’s when I first started making my own pumpkin puree; it’s honestly so easy that I have never looked back. If you still choose to use canned foods, I won’t judge – but homemade pumpkin puree is so easy to do that I recommend trying it at least once! Either way – you’re going to need some pumpkin puree for this deliciously hot, nourishing bowl of Pumpkin Chia Oats.

Healthy Hot Breakfast

There’s no better breakfast on a crisp, Fall morning, than a hot bowl of oatmeal to warm you up. Pumpkin Chia Oats amp up the nutrient profile with the addition of chia seeds and pumpkin. Starting the day with protein and healthy fats will get your energy levels up and keep you full until lunch.

Steel Cut Oats

Slow-digesting steel cut oats are one of the healthiest ways to start the day. Steel cut oats won’t spike your blood sugar like processed breakfast cereals, and are full of fiber, protein and calcium. You can read more about my personal story with oats, here.

Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are a great way to add more plant-based protein, healthy fats (plenty of essential omega-3 fatty acids), calcium, phosphorus and zinc to oatmeal. When you mix chia seeds with water, they do this cool thing where they transform into a gel-like mixture that is similar to a pudding or jello texture. On top of the superfood nutrients they add to Pumpkin Chia Oats, they definitely add fluffiness to the bowl as well! I always buy organic chia seeds in bulk when I’m at Costco, but you can also find my favorite brand of Chia Seeds on Amazon!

Pumpkin

Cooked pumpkin contains tons of vitamin A and carotenoids, which means its great for your vision! Beta-carotene is also a great antioxidant for cancer prevention because antioxidants through diet, aid your immune system, protecting you from free radicals. This antioxidant is also great for your skin and preventing wrinkles!

Cashew Milk

Dairy causes inflammation in the gut. Nut milk on the other hand, is anti-inflammatory! Full of healthy unsaturated fatty acids, creamy cashew milk is great for your heart. Cashew milk is also a great source for iron and magnesium – two essential minerals.

* When you click on my favorite product links, I earn a tiny commission from qualifying purchases, at no cost to you*

How to Make Pumpkin Chia Oats and Cinnamon Sugar Pecan Topping

Pumpkin Chia Oatmeal is simple to make! You add the oats, chia seeds, water, cashew milk, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, applesauce, pumpkin puree and maple syrup to a pot all at once and bring it to a boil. Once it’s boiling, reduce the heat and let it cook for 20 minutes. Just give it a stir every so often, because it’s going to really thicken up and you don’t want it sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add more water as necessary, to thin it out.

The cinnamon sugar pecan topping is essential! I really like my pumpkin spiced foods to have a warm and caramel type taste to them, and treating pecans to a little dip in caramelized sugar with cinnamon is just the right touch!

To start the topping, combine the water, coconut sugar, cinnamon and salt in a small skillet over medium-low heat. The mixture can burn easily, so be careful to avoid that by stirring frequently with a wooden spoon. Once the granules look dissolved enough, you can add in the pecans to coat and toast over the heat. Once finished, the mixture should feel a little tacky when the wooden spoon is stirring.

Assemble your Pumpkin Chia Oats bowl by filling with a cup of chia oats and topping with a tablespoon or two of cinnamon sugar pecan topping!

bowl of pumpkin flavored chia oatmeal topped with candied pecans

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Pumpkin Chia Oats

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Ingredients

1 c steel cut oats
1/4 c chia seeds
4 c water
1 c cashew milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp pumpkin spice
1/3 c applesauce
3/4 c pumpkin puree
1 tbsp maple syrup

Cinnamon Sugar Pecan Topping

1/4 c water
1 tbsp coconut sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c pecans

Instructions

Bring all of the ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan.
Reduce the boil to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Stir every so often.

Cinnamon Sugar Pecan Topping

Heat a saucepan on medium-low heat for a few minutes.
Add all of the ingredients, stirring often and careful not to burn, until the sugar seems mostly dissolved (about 5 minutes).
Add the pecans and stir for another 5 minutes to coat.

Savory Browned Brussel Sprouts

Posted on October 18, 2019November 4, 2019 by biglittlebites

I never really had brussel sprouts growing up… they weren’t a staple vegetable in my childhood home like broccoli, asparagus, green beans or salad. Admittedly, my first exciting experience with brussel sprouts was when they became a trendy, foodie thing at restaurants quite a few years ago – all crispy and browned because they were cooked in tons of oil and OH. SO. DELICIOUS. But could I make them healthier?

I began to take notice of the gorgeous stalks of brussel sprouts found seasonally at Trader Joes, and so I began experimenting at home.

The first thing I wanted to do, was to capture that savory, smokey flavor of restaurant brussel sprouts recipes, without adding bacon. Why no bacon? There is sufficient evidence that bacon and other processed meats (whether organic or not) do cause cancer – meaning they are in fact, considered a carcinogen. We avoid eating processed meats in our home, and I’ve found a better alternative to achieve some of that flavor! I always keep alderwood smoked sea salt on hand, for recipes I want to add a smokey bacon flavor to. This salt is smoked on alderwood at low temperatures (rather than more risky, hot smoking temperatures) making far less of the compound (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) linked to cancer. Used in combination with caramelizing onions, results in a delicious sweet and savory, mouthwatering taste that pairs perfectly with browned brussel sprouts!

How to Prepare Brussel Sprouts

If this is truly you’re first time making brussel sprouts or buying them on the stalk, you’re wondering “what do I do with this huge branch of brussels attached to it!?” Begin by simply plucking the brussel sprouts off of the stalk (oddly satisfying!) and placing them onto a cutting board.

Grab a sharp knife and trim the woody end (the part that was stuck to the stalk) off. Now slice the sprout in half, right down the middle through the end you just trimmed. If the sprouts are small, this is where you can stop. If they are larger than a quarter, I like to quarter them for more thorough browning.

How to Brown Brussel Sprouts

One crucial thing I learned about cooking brussel sprouts at home: do NOT overcook them! Overcooked brussel sprouts are on nobody’s wish list – they taste terrible. Sorry, it’s true. As soon as they turn bright green, you should start keeping an eye on them, because that’s an indication to stop cooking soon. So is it possible to cook them to the point of browning them, without OVER-cooking them? Totally!

Heat the cooking pan for about 5 minutes to get it nice and hot before adding the oil. If you add the oil before or during the heating, you risk your oil smoking. Why is it bad for oil to smoke? Not only does it lose nutritional value and make your food taste bad, but it’s also toxic to your body, generating tons of harmful free radicals you’ll breathe and ingest. When the oil smokes, it undergoes a chemical change which results in cancer-causing compounds – who wants to bother with that?

Heat your pan first, then add the oil, giving it a swirl, just as you’re about to add the sliced onion. Stir the sliced onion every few minutes, until they turn translucent. Add the sprouts, stirring well to make sure they’re evenly coated, and cover the pan. The way you achieve that toasty browned effect without tons of oil or overcooking, is by leaving the sprouts undisturbed at this point. 5 minutes later, turn the heat off, give them one more stir and cover again for an additional 3 minutes. Voila!

* When you click on product links, I earn a tiny commission from qualifying purchases, at no cost to you *

browned brussel sprouts on a plate with lemon zest

Print Recipe

Savory Browned Brussel Sprouts with Lemon Zest

Savory brussel sprouts with a lemon zest topping

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time13 mins

Course: Side Dish

Keyword: brussel sprouts, lemon, lemon zest, savory, vegan, vegetarian

Servings:

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 red onion, sliced 1/4" thick
1 lb brussel sprouts, trimmed and halved
1/2 tsp smoked sea salt
zest of one lemon

Instructions

Heat a saute pan over medium heat for 5 minutes.
Swirl in the olive oil and add the onion slices immediately. Cook and stir for 5 minutes until they begin to turn translucent.
Add the brussel sprouts to the pan with the onion. Cover and cook undisturbed for 5 minutes, allowing them to sear on one side.
Turn off the heat, stir well, and let the brussel sprouts sit covered for another 3 minutes.
Sprinkle with salt, and the zest of one lemon. Serve hot.

Creamy White Bean Chili

Posted on October 2, 2019October 30, 2019 by biglittlebites

There’s just something about the calendar saying “October 1” and the leaves changing color on the tree, that makes me crave healthy, Creamy White Bean Chili.

We are having a super hot fall season here in Atlanta, and I swear I overheard my sweaters and boots crying in my closet today… out of patience, waiting for their big moment! When I make this white bean chili, at least I can pretend it’s fall. My husband keeps the air conditioning so cold in this house, I throw on my sweatshirt, imagine fall scenes, and cozy up with this hot bowl – haha!

I actually first began experimenting with this recipe about 7 years ago, when we moved from Texas to Michigan, and had real fall weather. We were hosting a Halloween party at our home, for our kids and their friends and this creamy white bean chili is such a crowd pleaser, that both the parents and kids loved it. The chili is so flavorful, but personally, I think the fun is in choosing toppings! I love to set up a “toppings bar” for the kids to pick and choose what they want to put in their bowl and they love this freedom to elevate their chili on their own!

White Bean vs Chicken Chili

I have made this creamy white bean chili both with chicken and with only white beans as the protein. For a plant-based or meatless meal, beans are a great way to add essential protein, fiber and minerals (like iron) into your meal. To make this white bean chili vegan, simply leave our the chicken, double the beans and swap chicken stock or a quality vegetable stock (I prefer to use brands that don’t add flavoring).

If plant-based is just not your thing, or you’re craving chicken, both white meat and dark meat work well in this recipe.

How do you Thicken White Bean Chili and Make it Creamy?

The easiest, and healthiest way to thicken white bean chili is to puree half of the bean mixture. Sounds too simple, but it’s true! The white beans in the chili become really creamy on their own with a simple immersion blender, or by scooping half the beans and some broth into a food processor. This results in a creamy, thicker chili without compromising flavor or adding unnecessary ingredients.

What Kinds of Beans are White Beans?

White beans are beans that are white and have a mild taste. There are actually tons of different kinds of white beans! I’ll tell you what kinds of beans are considered white beans and how to know what kind of white bean is best for chili. As always, I want to remind you that beans and legumes are hard for the body to digest, and by soaking dried beans overnight and then allowing them to sprout before using (it’s super easy, and fun, I promise!) they won’t bother your stomach and will be even more nutritious than how they started out!

Which kind of white bean should be used to make white bean chili? I love using whatever I have on hand, and I’m always switching it up! The great news is, you can use any of the white beans I listed below, to make white bean chili. White beans are all mild tasting, with a slightly nutty flavor but you’ll be particularly impressed with the unique flavor of one of them!

Varieties of White Beans for Chili:

Great northern beans

These beans can also be called “large white beans,” and have a mild, nutty flavor. Great northern beans are rich in vitamin B (including folate) and are a good source of zinc and calcium.

White kidney beans

White kidney beans are also called “cannellini beans” and are the highest protein white bean available. Also a great source of the B vitamin folate, as well as iron, these creamy beans are fat-free!

Navy beans

The smallest white bean is the navy bean. Although small, it is actually highest in fiber! These beans also get creamy when cooked, making them easy to puree into chili. Navy beans are a great source of magnesium and folate.

Marrow beans

Get ready to have your mind blown: marrow beans taste similar to smokey bacon! With a meaty, creamy texture, these beans also work really well for chili.

Cranberry beans

These are technically considered a red bean, but they are more white in color and become really creamy when cooked. A bean that is creamy, is perfect for pureeing into a chili! These mild-flavored beans have a slightly nutty flavor and are rich in protein, fiber and iron.

* When you click on product links, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases, at no cost to you *

bowl of creamy white bean chicken chili topped with cilantro, avocado and lime wedges

Print Recipe

White Bean Chili

This delicious White Bean Chili tastes great both as a vegan or vegetarian meal, and with chicken in it. To make it meatless, simply leave out the chicken and chicken stock and swap for double the beans and vegetable stock.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time4 hrs

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Equipment

Slow Cooker

Ingredients

2 lbs boneless chicken white meat or dark meat
1.5 lbs white beans I like to soak dried beans overnight and then sprout them before using.
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 c hatch green chiles, diced
1 tbsp cumin
1.5 tsp alderwood smoked salt
1 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf
4 c chicken stock
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp cornmeal
1 c frozen fire-roasted corn kernals
1 tbsp chopped cilantro

Toppings

lime wedges
Mexican cheese like cotija
sour cream
Wild Brine smokey jalapeno sriracha
avocado slices
sliced scallions
chopped cilantro

Instructions

Add all but the last four ingredients to the slow cooker, and stir. Cover the slow cooker with the lid.
Cook on High for 4 hours or Low for 6 hours.
15 minutes before cooking time is up, remove the bay leaf and add in the cornmeal and frozen corn kernals. Stir well and cover again.
Transfer the chicken to a seperate plate, and shred or cut it into smaller pieces. Before adding the chicken back into the pot, use an immersion blender to puree a little bit of the chili until it reaches a creamy, yet still chunky, consistency.
Return the chicken to the slow cooker and stir in 1 tbsp of chopped cilantro.
Serve with toppings of choice.

Mediterranean Chicken Bowl

Posted on August 21, 2019May 1, 2020 by biglittlebites

Looking for flavorful alternatives to a traditional dinner plate? This aromatic Mediterranean Chicken Bowl incorporates a variety of spices popular to a part of the world that celebrates healthy food and family meals spent lingering for hours around the table.

What I Love

This Mediterranean Chicken Bowl is chock full of nutritional benefits, and I’m going to kick off the list with one of my favorite middle eastern grains: farro! Farro is a healthy, ancient grain that is high in fiber, protein, magnesium, zinc and iron. Farro adds great, chewy texture to any dish (make extra, to toss into tomorrows lunch or dinner salad!) and has a light, slightly nutty flavor. Avoid processed farro by making sure the package doesn’t say “pearled.” I love to sprout whole grains before consuming them, because it eliminates the anti-nutrients which block vitamin and mineral absorption, increases the amino acids and protein, lowers the gluten, and makes the grains much easier to digest.

Choosing organic chicken for this dish, means you’ll get chicken which hasn’t lived on a diet of grains laced with toxic pesticides. Seasoning it with all of these delicious mediterranean spices, means its going to taste delicious!

The crowning glory on this nutritious bowl though, is the drizzle of slightly nutty, and pleasantly tangy, roasted tahini dressing. The dressing takes only minutes to prepare, but adds a punch of flavor to the marinated chicken, and soaks right into the farro.

Broiling peppers to the point they blister, allows the peppers to cook to a tender, smokey, sweet and caramelized finish. A bubble is created in the skin, making it easy to peel off and discard so you can enjoy the tender inside layer!

The blistering process is quick and easy. To ensure efficiency, preheat your broiler and put a thin layer of oil on a sheet pan, rather than oiling each pepper. I prefer oils that can handle high heat, to reduce the chance of the oil burning and creating carcinogens. Using oven-safe tongs, turn the peppers every so often, to blister all sides. It only takes a short while to cook them under a broiler. Blackening is normal, but be careful not to overcook them and burn the inside layer you’ll be eating. * When you click on my favorite product links, I may earn a tiny commission from qualifying purchases, at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Big Little Bites blog*

What I love most about this healthy bowl, is how easy it is to prepare, and the minimal kitchen cleanup! Adding the chicken right onto the same sheet pan your peppers have been roasting on, means a simple sheet pan meal (aside from the farro on the stove).

Assembling your Mediterranean Chicken bowl is simple, and is completed in layers:

Scoop of farro
Sliced cucumbers
Blistered peppers
Shredded chicken
Drizzle of dressing
Fresh parsley

Print Recipe

Mediterranean Chicken Bowl

Delicious, warm, middle-eastern flavors packed into an easy sheetpan dinner served in bowls.

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time1 hr

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Servings:

Ingredients

4 Chicken breasts or tenders
2 Tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tsp Salt divided
1/2 Tsp Cumin
1/2 Tsp Coriander
1/4 Tsp Garlic powder
1/8 Tsp Smoked paprika
12-15 Miniature sweet bell peppers
2 Tsp avocado or coconut oil
2 C Farro uncooked
1 Cucumber, sliced
Few sprigs of parsley, chopped

Tahini Dressing

1/4 C Extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp Tahini
1/8 Tsp Real Salt
1 Large garlic clove, minced or 3 small
1/2 Lemon, juiced
1/2 Scallion, sliced

Instructions

Carefully slice each chicken breast into two chicken cutlets. If you're using tenders, you can leave them as-is.
Combine the oil and seasonings in a large food storage bag, place the chicken inside, seal the bag and move the pieces all around inside the bag, to evenly coat them. Marinate the chicken for 2 hours, or at least for 20 minutes.
Preheat the broiler to 450 degrees farenheit.
Cook farro according to package directions.
Lightly grease a sheetpan and broil the peppers for 7-10 minutes, turning as needed, to allow all sides to blister. The skin will blacken, but we will be peeling that layer off later.
Prepare tahini dressing by combining the ingredients in a small bowl or jar, and whisking thoroughly.
Add the chicken to the sheetpan with the peppers and place back under the broiler. Broil for 4 minutes, and then using tongs, flip the chicken to broil on the other side for an additional 4 minutes. Flip the peppers as needed.
The blistered peppers will peel easily. Gently pull the outermost layer of skin right off the pepper, and discard.
Prepare bowls with a bottom layer of farro and top with broiled chicken and sweet peppers. Add more chopped parsley and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

Brown Butter + Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Cookie Skillet

Posted on August 29, 2017August 7, 2019 by biglittlebites

Just TRY not to eat this whole brown butter + dark chocolate hazelnut cookie skillet in one sitting – I dare you! It’s what cookie dreams are made of and there’s not a family member in sight, who doesn’t want a piece of this healthier dessert!

I’ve made this cookie skillet a healthy dessert by using sprouted flour in place of traditional, substituting dairy-free and clean ingredient chocolate hazelnut spread for the alternative… and using coconut palm sugar in place of brown sugar. My husband and one of our daughters are both allergic to dairy, and while we don’t believe in drinking cows milk, we have cut it out of our kitchen completely by dropping all dairy products aside from butter here and there. Honestly, none of us miss it. That being said, you could totally use a chocolate hazelnut spread that is made with milk and get similar results – maybe not AS rich as the dairy-free one I use (insert drool emoji).

I know that many scoff at ‘substituting’ traditional cooking ingredients – but hear me out: sprouting grains before pulverizing them into flour, literally produces living, vital nutrients – providing more protein, vitamins and minerals than you would get from flour otherwise! It also neutralizes the phytic acid present in wheat, that inhibits nutrient absorption. The process of sprouting (see our post about sprouting) also makes digestion easier, as the starches are broken down into simple sugars, and there is less gluten. But guess what – sprouted flour is also less fattening than traditional flour! So, if you are gluten-sensitive but don’t have celiac disease or a gluten allergy, sprouted grains could be a game-changer for you! Why not try making the switch? It doesn’t change the taste of this drool-worthy, brown butter and dark chocolate hazelnut cookie!

While coconut palm sugar has the same number of calories as cane sugar, it is lower in glucose and fructose. It also contains inulin, which may help reduce the absoption of glucose, and makes it an alternative, for those who are diabetic. It also ranks lower on the glycemic index scale, if you’re watching that. The taste is similar to brown sugar, which is cane sugar with molasses added to it. This cookie is sweet without spiking your blood sugar through the roof.

Sometimes, I like to switch things up by using 1 c whole wheat (instead of white-wheat) sprouted flour and 1 c coconut flour. Either way, this brown butter + dark chocolate hazelnut cookie skillet, will have your tastebuds watering for more.

Brown butter dark chocolate hazelnut cookie skillet

Ingredients:

1 3/4 sticks of grass-fed butter, unsalted

3/4 c coconut palm sugar

1 mashed ripe banana

3 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 c sprouted flour (regular works just the same, but sprouted is healthier and easier to digest)

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp Redmond’s Real Salt

1 c dark chocolate chips (or chop up a bar of dark chocolate)

3/4 c Nocciolata Organic, Dairy-Free Hazelnut Spread (or Nutella, but this other brand is cleaner)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line a 12″ cast iron skillet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a saute pan, add the butter and patiently melt over low-medium heat; when it begins to sizzle, turn it down to a simmer and let it begin to brown – you’ll know it’s ready when you see brown bits on the bottom of the pan and smell a delicious nutty smell! That’s when you turn off the heat, and add it to mixing bowl (I used my stand mixer with whisk attachment); add in sugar and whisk until blended. Now you’ll need to wait about 20 minutes to allow the bowl to come to room temperature again.

In the meantime, take the same saute pan you used for the butter, and without washing it, put it back on low heat and add in the chocolate hazelnut spread – you just want it to get soft and gooey for easy spreading. Once the mixing bowl is cool enough to the touch, add in the eggs and vanilla and whisk in on a low setting just until combined.

Next, add in all of the dry ingredients and mix this just until combined. Gently fold in the dark chocolate pieces.

Rip a new sheet of parchment or wax paper and place it on your kitchen counter. Pour half of your cookie batter into the lined skillet, and the other half onto the parchment paper on your counter. Spread each out gently, making a round shape to the edge of the skillet, and making the other half on the extra parchment, look similar. Now pour the chocolate hazelnut spread over the cookie batter inside the skillet and gently spread the layer. Take the extra sheet of parchment with the other half of the batter spread out, and carefully flip it over on top of the chocolate hazelnut layer in the skillet. Scatter the top with some extra dark chocolate pieces for visual effect, and pop it in the oven for 25 minutes.

The goal for me, is to get a slightly gooey cookie to scoop out of the pan, but if you want it more traditional-cookie style, keep it in the oven for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!