Hey Mommy, what's that?

It's chicken soup, very yummy, you want some?

No, soup makes me sick. But maybe we can put some chocwit in it and I can eat it all. That will be tewwiffic!

Recently, our little girl has discovered the wonders of chocolate. She's been asking me (in not so subtle ways) to incorporate more of it into her diet. And although her suggestion to add chocolate to chicken soup was quite admirable, I wasn't entirely sure that such a concoction would be well received by the rest of us. So last night I tried to come up with a recipe that would please everyone. However, as opposed to making chocolate chicken soup I opted for chocolate loaf instead. Look at all the marbling of chocolate in there. It's like a chocolate cake on steroids. ENJOY!

Dairy, Egg, & Nut Free Chocolate Loaf
Yields two 8 inch loaf pans

1/2 cup dairy free margarine
1/4 cup dairy free chocolate chips
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
3/4 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup soy milk plus 1/2 tablespoon vinegar, combined
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8 inch loaf pans with dairy free cooking spray and set aside.

In a medium size bowl, place dairy free margarine and chocolate chips, and heat in microwave at 20 second intervals until melted. Stir until smooth. Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer and sift in cocoa powder. Stir until it's well incorporated. Combine instant coffee granules with water and add to the chocolate mixture. Add sugars, applesauce, soy milk mixture and vanilla. Stir on medium speed until smooth.

In a large bowl, sift flour, baking soda and salt. Add to wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Do not over mix.

Pour into prepared loaf pans and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let cool in pan for ten minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Then repeat the following (and this is a really important step; the recipe will not work otherwise): Lord, please grant me the discipline and will power to avoid cutting the loaf right now so it doesn't crumble. Wait ten minutes, then cut into the loaf anyway. Get completely swarmed by family members demanding a piece of the loaf that is still piping hot. Quickly grab the camera so you can take pictures before the loaf disappears. Watch it crumble as you slice into it. Watch as the darn thing is being inhaled by the masses. Look for any sign of crumbs. Fail to find any. Amen!

Note: We tend to like the addition of spices to chocolate in this household. I often add cinnamon or cloves, but you can add any spice you like.

Nutritional Info (per 2 ounce slice)
Calories 184.41, Total Fat 5.43g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 189.25mg, Potassium 51.02mg, Total Carbohydrates 33.07g, Fiber 0.73g, Sugar 20.98g, Protein 1.66g

Nutrition analysis is approximate and will vary depending on exact ingredients used. Calculations are based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet. Nutritional Facts are obtained from Radium Technologies' Living Cookbook. However, Allergymom.ca has no affiliation with Radium Technologies and does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.

The masses were craving chocolate this evening. Enter Chocolate Rolls... not too sweet, very tender and super quick; all comes together in under 40 minutes, 'nuff said - ENJOY!

Dairy, Egg, & Nut Free Chocolate Rolls
Yields 12 Rolls

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup dairy free margarine, chilled and cut into small pieces
1 cup cold soy or rice milk

Filling
1/2 cup dairy free chocolate chips
1 tablespoon dairy free margarine
1 tablespoon soy or rice milk

Grease a 12 cup muffin tin with dairy free cooking spray and set aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in dairy free margarine until crumbly and resembles pea size. Add soy  milk. Stir to form a soft dough. Set aside.

Place filling ingredients in a small bowl and heat in microwave at 10 second intervals until chocolate is melted. 

Turn dough out on a well floured surface. Roll into rectangle about 1/3 inch thick and 12 inches long. Spread the chocolate mixture over rectangle. Roll up and cut into 12 pieces. Place cut side down in muffin pan.

Bake for 20 to 22 minutes or until slightly golden on top. Turn out on a tray and let cool slightly. You can eat them as they are or drizzle some icing over them if you want them sweeter.

Nutritional Info (per roll)
Calories 177.67, Total Fat 7.37g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 390.77mg, Potassium 51.14mg, Total Carbohydrates 25.91g, Fiber 1.02g, Sugar 5g, Protein 3.05g

Nutrition analysis is approximate and will vary depending on exact ingredients used. Calculations are based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet. Nutritional Facts are obtained from Radium Technologies' Living Cookbook. However, Allergymom.ca has no affiliation with Radium Technologies and does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.

Okay, I know I haven't been posting for quite a while, but hear me out. I have a good excuse. I was swallowed by a black hole called Kitchen Reno. Due to a number of seemingly good reasons at the time, including our allergy lifestyle, my husband and I collectively decided that upgrading our kitchen (more like giving it a complete overhaul) would be a brilliant move. After a lot of stress, sweat, tears, cash, blood, more stress, more cash and more tears, it is finally done! I now have a much bigger, more beautiful, and extremely more functional kitchen than I'd ever imagined. Yes, I'm broke but I'm happy. Granted, it's not Martha Stewart's kitchen (nor do I really want it to be), but it works very well for our little family. I christened our new kitchen with a double batch of cinnamon rolls that were promptly devoured (just like the cookie monster). I realize that sometimes it seems like I'm living in Sesame Street, but I promise you the rest of the time, I'm either living in the twilight zone (on a good day) or in a horror flick (the rest of the time).

Now that my husband and daughter have proven that having their fill of cinnamon rolls is a myth, as both of them could inhale an entire tray and then ask for more, they've since started asking for my famous ginger cookies. Those ginger gems are back by popular demand. The compliments have been pouring ever since I gave them out as Christmas gifts last year. At least a dozen people have asked for the recipe so I thought I'd post it here to please the masses. Just think, what would happen if a gingersnap and a molasses cookie came together; they would produce my ginger cookie. It's neither crunchy like a gingersnap, nor soft like a molasses cookie. It's a little bit of both and it definitely has a ginger bite to it! 

WARNING: They are addictive. Eat at your own risk. For best results share with others. DO NOT hoard the entire thing and then chain yourself to the treadmill for a week. DO NOT grab all the cookies and lock yourself in the pantry. DO call the Betty Crocker clinic if symptoms persist.

Enjoy!

Dairy, Egg, & Nut Free Ginger Cookies
Yields 2 dozen

1/3 cup dairy free margarine
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 Tbsp molasses
1 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1 Tbsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine dairy free margarine and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Add molasses and applesauce. Mix until thoroughly incorporated.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and stir until the dough just comes together. Do not overmix. Using a small cookie scooper, place dough rounds unto the baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Pat very gently with your hands to flatten the tops a little bit. You can sprinkle a little bit of granulated sugar on top of each cookie if you wish.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Let cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes then promptly remove to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will be soft when they come out of the oven but will harden as they cool.

Note: Make sure not to overbake them. They should look a bit wet or undercooked in the centre when they first come out of the oven. One minute longer in the oven and they will become crunchy. One minute less will make them softer. Play around with the recipe and see what you prefer; make it your own.

Nutritional Info (per cookie)
Calories 68, Total Fat 2.6g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 72.79mg, Potassium 57.65mg, Total Carbohydrates 10.82g, Fiber 0.19g, Sugar 6.03g, Protein 0.57g

Nutrition analysis is approximate and will vary depending on exact ingredients used. Calculations are based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet. Nutritional Facts are obtained from Radium Technologies' Living Cookbook. However, Allergymom.ca has no affiliation with Radium Technologies and does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.