Florentines (Chocolate-Filled Lace Cookies)

My twenty-something self was addicted to Florentines because of Cost Plus World Market. I hesitate to call them cookies; the texture is more like nutty toffee with chocolate squished in the center. Think of them like an inside-out Heath bar with almonds, and remarkably easier to chew! Cost Plus sells Florentines in clamshell containers, and … Continue reading Florentines (Chocolate-Filled Lace Cookies)

Peanut Butter Snickers bars (with no refined sugar)

I bet you thought cutting back on refined sugar meant you can't enjoy the occasional candy bar. Nope! These Snickers-like treats are sweetened with nothing more than dates and stevia-sweetened chocolate. They taste just like Peanut Butter Snickers! And since they use oat flour, they're also gluten free. I cut these candies into bite-sized pieces; … Continue reading Peanut Butter Snickers bars (with no refined sugar)

Homemade Healthier Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

I'm not going to tell you that candy is health food. But when my Reese's-addicted husband decided to clean up his eating habits, I did some research. Turns out clean dark chocolate and clean peanut butter both have pretty impressive health benefits! Dark chocolate is actually considered a superfood. It's loaded with fiber, iron, magnesium, … Continue reading Homemade Healthier Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

White Chocolate Coconut “Tom Cruise” Cake

Have you heard about the Tom Cruise cake? It's the Doan's Bakery Bundt cake that Tom Cruise sends all his friends every Christmas. It's a rich coconut-flavored butter cake filled with chunks of white chocolate, covered with cream cheese frosting and shredded coconut. Several of Cruise's famous friends have gleefully admitted to looking forward to … Continue reading White Chocolate Coconut “Tom Cruise” Cake