Coconut Milk Chia Pudding (V)

Happy Friday! I know things have been a little quiet here lately but I’ve been busily working behind the scenes to prepare for my sweet girl’s birthday happening next Saturday. Much more to share on all of that soon, but as for now, I’m thrilled the weekend is here!

And to start my day….my go-to Chia Coconut pudding that takes just moments to prepare. I love that I can make it the night before so it’s ready for me to grab from the fridge in the morning, before my day begins.

My darling Kate Spade mug full of my decaf green tea is also setting the tone.

Morning fave.

Ingredients/Supplies

1 fancy glass (not required)

1/4 cup Chia Seed

3/4 Cups original Coconut Milk (you can also use almond, cashew, or any other alternative)

Half a banana sliced,

A pinch of cinnamon

Raw pecans and coconut flakes

Instructions:

Soak chia seed in coconut milk overnight or for at least 1 hour so it has time to expand.

When ready to eat, pull from fridge and top with sliced bananas, cinnamon, pecans and coconut. If the chia has soaked up most of the milk, just add more!

Enjoy!

This breakfast is enough to keep me full for the entire morning and is a great post workout meal option.

Consuming Chia seed can assist with weight loss, hydration  and blood pressure reduction. It’s also packed with omega-3 to protect against inflammation. I can’t think of a better way to start my morning!

Do you have a favorite Chia Pudding recipe? If so I’d love to hear it and try it!

Photo via Instagram. Follow me there for in-between post updates.

Have a lovely weekend all!

xo

This specific recipe for Coconut Milk Chia Pudding was seen first on Posh Little Designs. All Rights Reserved. 2011-2015.

All Images are photographed and owned property of Posh Little Designs. All Rights Reserved 2015.

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Posh Fruit Smoothie Bowls (V)

Smoothie bowls seem to be all the rage right now, and I completely understand why. The idea of blended fruits topped with nuts and seeds, and enjoyed with a spoon, is basically perfection! If you’ve tasted one I’m sure you understand, and if not, the eye candy you’ve most likely seen on instagram is enough confirmation of all the perfection that they are. (hashtag) #smoothiebowl. A fresh and trendy way to reinvent your basic fruit blend and elevate it to a whole new level, that not only looks gorgeous with the intricate arrangements of toppings, but offers plenty of health benefits as well!

Kind of my new obsession, served in a stemless martini glass and garnished with edible blooms for the posh factor.

a blend of strawberries, mangos, spinach and almond milk, topped with raw almonds, coconut flakes, chia seeds and blackberries. Packed with vitamins and antioxidants and naturally vegan, dairy and gluten-free. (makes 2)

Ingredients/Supplies.

Smoothie

3 cups frozen organic strawberries

1 cup frozen organic mango

1 cup fresh spinach leaves

1 cup almond milk

Toppings

16-20 organic blackberries halved

2 tablespoons raw almonds

2 tablespoons of chia seed

2 tablespoons raw unsweetened coconut flakes

edible flowers (find them in the herb section of your grocery store) for garnish

Blender or magic bullet

Two clear bowls or glasses for serving. I used stemless martini glasses for a touch of chic.

Instructions.

Place smoothie ingredients into your blender on high until completely blended. You’ll want your smoothie to be thick since you’ll be eating it with a spoon.

Evenly divide smoothie between each glass or bowl.

Place toppings on your smoothies in a row style design.

First add the blackberries (they’re a little heavy so be gentle,) then a row of almonds, followed by a row of chia seeds (use a small spoon to make your row of chia otherwise they’ll go everywhere) lastly a row of raw coconut.

Place your finished smoothie bowls in the fridge until ready to serve.

They’re a great make-ahead breakfast or post workout meal option. I personally love to have one when I finish a Pilates session.

Also a chic addition to any party menu. If you’re hosting a brunch, bridal or baby shower, these would be as said above, perfection.

I hope you enjoy this recipe just much as I do!

Happy almost Friday!

xo

This specific recipe for Posh Fruit Smoothie Bowl was seen first on Posh Little Designs. All Rights Reserved. 2011-2015.

All Images are photographed and owned property of Posh Little Designs. All Rights Reserved 2015.

Salted Pistachio Dark Chocolate Shamrocks (V)

Whenever I need a little pick me up, dark chocolate is my go-to. I just love how well it pairs with different flavors. From fruits and nuts to savories and especially wine, it’s certainly a rich and luxurious treat, and most importantly for me it’s dairy free! Now with St. Patrick’s Day fast approaching I’m elevating this go-to of mine a to give it some holiday appeal. Using shamrocks for good luck, a hint of sea salt and pistachio green and a dusting of edible gold glitter, this sweet treat is now suitable for the upcoming arrival of St. Patty’s Day.

Dark chocolate paired with sea salt, pistachios and edible gold. Sweet, salty & St. Patrick’s Day chic.

Ingredients/Supplies

8 oz of quality dairy free dark chocolate (3 bars)

1/2 cup coarsely chopped pistachios

1 tsp sea salt

edible gold glitter flakes

shamrock mold

2 ziplocks or piping bag

parchment paper

Instructions

Heat 7 of the 8 oz chocolate in a double boiler or on 30 second intervals in the microwave until fully melted.

Pour melted chocolate into your ziplock or piping bag and pipe into your shamrock mold cavities.

Gently tap the mold on a solid surface until chocolate is evenly distributed.

Allow to chill for 1-2 hours in the fridge until completely solid.

While chocolate is chilling, mix together the sea salt and chopped pistachios.

Once shamrocks are fully chilled, heat remaining 1 oz of chocolate until fully melted and pour into remaining ziplock or existing piping bag.

Flip the shamrocks over onto a sheet of parchment paper to remove chocolates.

Turn them right side up and quickly pipe remaining chocolate in a zig zag motion over top the shamrocks.

Top with chopped pistachios and sea salt, and finish with the edible gold glitter.

Place them back in the fridge for 30 minutes to fully harden.

They are ready to enjoy!

This is such a quick treat to make and an easy way to elevate plain dark chocolate. You can display these shamrocks on trays or cake stands at your St. Patty’s Day celebration, or package them up and give them away as a bit of sweet good luck for your friends and loved ones.

More on the way soon!

xo

This specific recipe for Salted Pistachio Dark Chocolate Shamrocks was seen first on Posh Little Designs. All Rights Reserved. 2011-2015.

All Images are photographed and owned property of Posh Little Designs. All Rights Reserved 2015.

Pink Peppermint & Chocolate Popsicles (V)

Winter is almost here, which for most of us means that we’re a long ways from summer. We actually couldn’t be further in the Pacific NW with the 20 degree temps we’ve been experiencing lately, but that’s not stopping me from having frozen treats on my mind. Maybe it’s all the chilly weather getting to me…it must be, because I’m dreaming of sunshine and 80 degrees.

That brings me to today’s recipe featuring a few of favorite things, like peppermint and chocolate, which I’ve combined together to create frosty and festive popsicle fitting for the Christmas season. And for a little extra holiday cheer, there’s a touch of pink incorporated into each pop, courtesy of the peppermint candies.

Very merry and posh!

Creamy coconut milk paired with cool peppermint and sweet dark chocolate makes this recipe an instant seasonal favorite. Not only are these pops dairy free, they’re also completely vegan and free of gluten soy as well, so everyone can enjoy!

Ingredients/Supplies

1 full can of light or full fat Coconut Milk (I used light and prefer Trader Joes coconut milk)

1 teaspoon of Agave Nectar

1/4 teaspoon of pure peppermint oil

1/3 cup crushed peppermint candy discs + 4  solid peppermint discs uncrushed.

1/3 cup of dairy free dark chocolate (chopped into small chunks, about 1/2 inch in size) I found mine at Trader Joes

4 popsicle sticks

4 6-8 ounce containers (i found mini plastic parfait glasses and used those)

parchment paper

Instructions

Combine Coconut milk and agave nectar in a glass bowl. Blend together for desired sweetness. Add in peppermint oil and stir.

Pour in 1/4 cup of the 1/3 crushed peppermint candy discs (the red color of the candy will tint the coconut milk pink), setting the remaining crushed peppermints aside.

Pour in 1/4 cup of the 1/3 chopped dairy free dark chocolate to the coconut milk mixture and set the remaining chocolate aside.

Mix all of the above ingredients together.

Drop each of the remaining 4 peppermint discs into the bottom of the mini parfait glasses.

Pour about 1/2 a cup of coconut peppermint and chocolate mixture into each parfait glass over top the peppermint candy disc.

Repeat this step for all for parfait glasses.

Place on a tray in the freezer for about 1 hour and then insert your popsicle sticks.

Allow another 2 hours to fully freeze.

Line a dish with a sheet of parchment paper and set aside.

Pour remaining crushed peppermint and dark chocolate into a dish and mix together.

Once popsicles are completely frozen, fill up a medium-sized bowl with warm water. Place each popsicle into bowl of warm water to remove from the parfait glasses.

The popsicles will have a layer of melt on them which you can top with the remaining peppermint and chocolate mixture. Repeat these steps for each of the remaining popsicles and place on the parchment paper.

Return to the freezer for another hour.

Serve immediately!

These popsicles are fabulous for holiday parties and entertaining, especially if you live in a warmer climate. You could also enjoy these with friends and loved ones bundled up in your coziest blankets near the fire. That’s exactly how I had mine and I’ve already

Happy Holidays!!

Much more on the way soon!

xo

This specific recipe for Pink Peppermint & Chocolate Popsicles was seen first on Posh Little Designs. All Rights Reserved. 2011-2014.

All Images are photographed and owned property of Posh Little Designs. All Rights Reserved 2014.

Festive Fruit Smoothies (V)

Halloween has to be one of the sweetest times of the year…that is in terms of candy. One of the candies commonly seen around Halloween really brings me back to my childhood. Yup, candy corn. We always had it in our house growing up and my mom still likes it, years later! Although I’m not known for eating handfuls of candy corn myself, I’m completely keen on the colors and love that I had those memories growing up. Which brings me to today’s post, that was of course inspired by candy corn but in a much more fresh and natural kind way.

I’ve taken the shades of yellow, orange and white commonly associated with the sweet treat, and matched it to fruits in the same colors to make healthy and fresh smoothies with much less guilt and a great way counterbalance all the sweets that will be consumed over the weekend.

In addition to these smoothies being healthy and fresh, the mini shot glasses they’re served in make them a fabulous beverage menu option for any Halloween party that you host over weekend! Complete with a tiny candy corn shaped fruit garnishes for a festive finishing touch!

Fresh fruit in shades of yellow (pineapple), orange (persimmon & orange) and white (coconut and banana) make up these smoothies as a play on candy corn. Naturally vegan, gluten-free and dairy free for everyone to enjoy! Each recipe makes 6 shot glass sized portions.

Y E L L O W

Pineapple Mango Fruit Smoothie

1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple cut into chunks

1/2 cup frozen or fresh mango (if fresh peeled and cut into chunks)

1/3 cup plain coconut milk yogurt

1/4 cup plain coconut milk

1/2 cup ice

Blender or magic bullet

Mini drinking or shot glasses

Funnel

Instructions

Place all ingredients into blender and blend together.

You can add a bit more of each ingredients to reach the desired consistency and bright color.

Pour into shot glasses using a funnel

Serve immediately, or chill in the fridge for up to 2 hours.

O R A N G E

Persimmon & Orange Fruit Smoothie

Ingredients/Supplies:

2 ripe persimmons rinsed and cut into chunks

1 large orange peeled and cut into chunks

1/2 natural/organic orange juice

3/4 cups of ice

Blender or magic bullet

Mini drinking or shot glasses

Funnel

Instructions

Place all ingredients into blender and blend together.

You can add a bit more of each ingredients to reach the desired consistency and bright color.

Pour into shot glasses using a funnel

Serve immediately, or chill in the fridge for up to 2 hours.

W H I T E

Banana Coconut Fruit Smoothie

1 ripe banana peeled and cut into chunks

1/4 to 1/3 cup fresh coconut from shell. Peeled and cut into chunks

1/3 cup plain coconut milk yogurt

1/3 cup plain coconut milk

1/2 cup ice

Blender or magic bullet

Mini drinking or shot glasses

Funnel

Instructions

Place all ingredients into blender and blend together.

You can add a bit more of each ingredients to reach the desired consistency and bright color.

Pour into shot glasses using a funnel

Serve immediately, or chill in the fridge up to 2 hours ahead.

Pineapple, Persimmon & Coconut (candy corn) Garnish (optional)

Cut 1 inch chunk of pineapple to resemble the bottom portion of the candy corn and skewer onto a toothpick.

Cut a 3/4 inch chunk of persimmon in a rectangular shape to resemble the middle portion of the candy corn and place on top of the pineapple.

Top with a half-inch chunk of coconut cut into the shape of a triangle.

Repeat these steps for each of the smoothies you’ll be serving.

These smoothies are a great option for kids and adults. I let my girls taste each of the flavors and they very much approved! Feel free to alter the ingredients to include your favorite fruits in these colors.

Happy Halloween! I’ll be taking my girls out trick-or-treating tomorrow and celebrating with family! How are you spending your Halloween weekend?

Much more to share soon!

xo

This specific recipe for Festive Fruit Smoothies was seen first on Posh Little Designs. All Rights Reserved. 2011-2014.

All Images are photographed and owned property of Posh Little Designs. All Rights Reserved 2014.

Vanilla Caramel Apple Bites (V)

Lately I’ve had Fall and seasonal recipes on the brain, so while feeling a little festive over the weekend I whipped up a simple caramel using only the ingredients that I had  in my pantry. To my surprise, a can of coconut milk and a cup of sugar, if boiled long enough can transform into a delightful dipping sauce that pairs beautifully with apples and just about anything else you could think of. And did I mention that this heavenly sauce just happens to be gluten and lactose free?! Hmmm..thinking it’s safe to say that Fall just got a whole lot sweeter.

Vanilla Caramel Apple Bites

Ingredients/Supplies

1-2 large apples cut into 2 inch cubes

lemon wedge

toothpicks

parchment paper

3/4 cups full fat coconut milk

1 cup raw sugar

1 teaspoon pink himalaya sea salt

seeds from 1 vanilla bean scraped

1 teaspoon coconut oil.

Finely chopped pecans.

Instructions

Line baking sheet or tray with parchment paper and set aside.

Cube apples and squeeze with lemon juice to prevent browning and then top with toothpicks. Set aside.

For caramel, combine raw sugar and coconut milk in a heavy sauce pan over medium heat.

Stir until sugar is dissolved and then allow to boil for 15 minutes until a the caramel is an amber brown.

Quickly remove from heat and gently stir in salt, vanilla bean seeds and coconut oil.

Begin dipping each apple into caramel sauce right away. You can do this by transferring the sauce into a separate dish, or directly from the sauce pan, just be careful not to burn yourself.

Sprinkle each dipped apple with chopped pecans and place on parchment paper to cool.

Serve immediately.

Note: Since this is not your typical caramel it has a tendency to harden as soon as it begins to cool. You can attempt to reheat in the microwave, but you’ll yield your best results by using the caramel sauce immediately.

These Fall delights are vegan and party perfect. Their small size and toothpick toppers make them ideal for entertaining and and a favorite for the season upon us!

Enjoy!

Do you have any Fall recipes you’re excited to make? I’d love to hear about them!

Thanks for reading. I’ll have much more to share soon!

xo

This specific recipe for Vanilla Caramel Apple Bites was seen first on Posh Little Designs. All Rights Reserved. 2011-2014

All Images are photographed and owned property of Posh Little Designs. All Rights Reserved 2014

Blackberry Basil Sorbet + Bubbles (V)

Blackberry season is upon us and my little indoor basil plant is FINALLY starting to grow enough leaves for use. Yes,  finally…after 3 months in poor window lighting I have a small abundance of basil leaves available at my fingertips. This is a nice little convenience to have and totally became the inspiration for today’s summer treat. Of course I couldn’t just use basil alone. I’ve combined the fresh local blackberries my hubs brought home the other morning with the tiny home-grown basil leaves to create an delightful summer sorbet.

I gotta admit, I’m a bit surprised with my sorbet making skills. I’m not always this lucky, but I guess sometimes winging it is the best thing you can do. No ice-cream machine necessary, just a few simple ingredients is all that you need to make this frozen favorite.

 Top with a splash of bubbly for a little extra pizazz.

The fruit and herb pairing is trendy and fresh and the blended color is vibrant. The baby basil leaves are not too overpowering, and offer just enough bite to balance the tartness of the fresh blackberries. The champagne floater adds a whimsical and fun finishing touch.

(makes about 4 servings – recipe can be doubled)

Ingredients/Supplies

2  heaping cups local blackberries rinsed.

1-2 small lemons juiced – depending on how tart your blackberries are. Use less if they’re a bit on the sour side.

6-8 baby leaves from a basil plant – if using store-bought basil, limit to 3-4 regular sized leaves.

1 1/4 cup raw turbinado sugar.

1 1/4 cups water.

stainless steel pan.

strainer

blender or food processor.

Sofia blanc de blancs champagne.

Instructions

Create simple syrup by heating together the water and turbinado sugar. Allow mixture to come to a rolling boil and then continue to boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to completely cool.

While the simple syrup is cooling squeeze your lemons into a separate dish and set aside.

Once simple syrup is fully cooled, pour it into a blender or food processor with blackberries, lemon juice and basil leaves.

Blend or food process on high until completely pureed.

Pour blackberry basil and sugar mixture into a stainless steel pan or dish, ssing a strainer to catch all the seeds. Discard excess seeds.

Place mixture in the freezer, and allow to freeze for about 2 hours.

It should already have the consistency of a sorbet, but to make it even creamier, remove all sorbet from the steel dish and place it back in the blender/processer. Blend/mix on high for about 1 more minute, and then cover and place back in the freezer in the same steel dish for at least 2 more hours. You can also freeze overnight. But make sure to allow a few minutes to thaw before serving.

After the 2 additional hours in the freezer, your sorbet is ready to enjoy.

Scoop into chic dishes and top with your favorite bubbly. I chose Sofia blanc de blancs because the packaging is pink, adorbs and an entertaining essential.

This sorbet will make a great dessert or palate cleanser for any occasion!

 I can already envision myself enjoying one of these on the back deck with my favorite ladies.

To make the sorbet kid friendly or alcohol free, simply omit the champagne. They were a hit with my two girls.

Thanks for reading! I hope you give this recipe a try! We’re officially just over 1 week until my daughter’s 5th birthday, so I’ll be devoting most of my attention to projects for that event– which I hope to have time to share with you soon. Until then, you can find me on instagram: @poshlittledesigns for daily updates.

xo

This specific recipe for Blackberry Basil Sorbet was seen first on Posh Little Designs. All Rights Reserved. 2011-2014