Essential U Blog

Agave Sweetened Chocolate Cake

Sin On a Plate, Well Almost

f you're like me, you have a weak spot for chocolate. Chocolate food, chocolate mask, chocolate everything! Here at Essential Wholesale, my chocolate obsession is evident. We've got Chocolate Vanilla Creme (on clearance -- get it while it lasts!), Chocolate Butter Body Scrub, Chocolate Mint Lotion and more! Good thing too, because without those indulgences, I'd have to make this cake a lot and that would not be good for any of our waistlines around here.

       

I made this cake for Selah's birthday party It's so good you can't tell it does not contain sugar. It has a few extra steps but it is worth every additional moment it takes to make this cake.

Organic Lavender Biscotti

orry to report that our Brooksie had a family emergency and had to leave Essential Wholesale. We are very sad to see her go. As a parting gift, she shared with me her Organic Lavender Biscotti recipe. We are only months away from Lavender Festivals. It is time to start practicing your recipes and perfecting them before festival time.

           

Lavender Biscotti

2 cups Organic Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
¼ teaspoons Salt
½ cup Organic Macadamia Nuts (coarsely chopped)
½ cup Organic Sugar
3 tablespoon Organic Lavender Buds
2 Organic Cage Free Eggs
1/4 cups melted Organic Butter
2 tablespoons Organic Honey
1 tablespoons Organic Lemon Rind
Juice of 1 Organic Lemon
3 tablespoons Organic Milk
½ teaspoon Organic Vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, nuts, lavender buds and sugar. If your organic sugar has large grains put it into a food processor or magic bullet for a few seconds before adding it to the dry mixture.
3. In a separate bowl, beat together with electric mixer on slow eggs, sugar, butter, honey, lemon, lemon rind, milk and vanilla.
4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir well. Dough will be soft and sticky.
5. Spoon onto cookie sheet into 2 “log” shapes: approximately 2 “wide.
6. Bake 35 minutes until golden then remove from oven.
7. Cool 10 minutes. Place on board, cut into 1” wide slices then place on sides on cookie sheets.
8. Return to oven to cook 20 minutes longer, turning once.
9. Cool on rack. Yield: 2 dozen.

Post Easter Deviled Eggs

f you have a fridge full of hard boiled eggs, this recipe will come in handy. It is a variation on the classic with some healthier choices. I made the switch to Grapeseed Oil Vegenaise after taste testing every healthy mayonaise choice on the market. It tastes so close to the real stuff that my kids never even noticed when I swapped it out. I enjoy picking up culinary lavender products when I visit lavender farms. In this recipe I used some mustard I picked up at a Lavender Wind Farm, which is a few miles from my parents house on Whidbey Island. 

       

Lavender Chocolate Shortbread Bars

love lots of things about being a mom. Lately, one of my favorites is having to bake lots of goodies for one school function or another. If you liked my Organic Lavender Brownies, you'll love these Lavender Chocolate Shortbread Bars.

       

They are simple and super sweet. The steps are few and just a couple of ingredients are needed to make this tasty treat.

2 sticks Organic Butter
½ cup Organic Sugar
½ teaspoon Organic Lavender Buds
¼ cup Organic Dark Chocolate Chips
2 cups Organic Flour

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Beat organic sugar and lavender buds in a food processor or magic bullet for a few seconds. This helps break down the larger grains of organic sugar and mill the lavender buds.

3. Cream butter and sugar on medium speed with electric mixer until fluffy.

4. Separately melt chocolate chips. Check to see if your microwave has a melt feature or microwave on medium for a few seconds at a time. Or melt in double broiler. Allow to cool slightly.

5. Slowly sift flour into sugar/butter mixture and mix thoroughly.

6. Blend melted chocolate into batter.

7. Press into baking pan. Bake 38-45 minutes or until top is firm. Check center to make sure that a fork comes out clean.

8. Turn pan upside down to allow bar to slide out of pan. Allow to cool slightly. Cut before they cool completely.

Organic Lavender Brownies

his weekend, I had the task of baking some sweet treats for the teachers at my son’s high school. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to develop some new recipes. One of the biggest hits of the weekend were these Organic Lavender  Brownies.

      

They are worth making, even if only for the fact that they make my kitchen smell like lavender and chocolate together. Once these babies were cooled, they were taste tested and approved! You will love this sweet delight. 

Organic Lavender Brownies

2 sticks Organic Butter
½ cup Organic Unsweetened or Dark Chocolate
4 Organic Cage-Free Eggs
1 ½ cup Organic Sugar
1 teaspoon Organic Lavender Buds
1 teaspoon Organic Vanilla Extract
¾ cup Organic All Purpose Flour

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.

2. Melt the organic butter and organic chocolate on low heat, stirring constantly. Once it has melted set aside or in the refrigerator to cool.

3. Beat organic sugar and lavender buds in a food processor or magic bullet for a few seconds. This helps break down the larger grains of organic sugar and mill the lavender buds.

4. Beat eggs and sugar/lavender blend with an electric mixer until thickened. Add vanilla and mix, slowly sift in flour into the mixture.

5. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 22-28 minutes or until the center is set. Check center to make sure that a fork comes out clean.

6. Allow lavender brownies to cool in pan for at least 30 minutes before cutting and serving.

Yum!

Guinness Stew

Warm Your Heart and Home With This Comforting Stew

When I finished my adventure to the top of the Cliffs of Moher, I met my friends at a local pub that was famous for Guinness Stew.It was amazing, either because I was starving or because it truly was the best Guinness Stew. I memorized the flavors and when I came back to America, I recreated the stew.

           

Ingredients

1 lb Organic Lean Beef
1 teaspoon Hungarian Paprika
2 tablespoons Organic Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Organic Flour
4 Organic White Potatoes
2 Organic Carrots
1 Organic Onion
1 clove Organic Garlic
2 Bottles Guinness Stout Beer
32 ounces Organic Beef Broth
Salt & Pepper to taste

1.  Trim the meat of any fat or gristle, cut into cubes of 1 inches. Toss them in a bowl with 1 tablespoon organic olive oil. Season the flour with salt, freshly ground pepper and 1 teaspoon of Hungarian paprika. Toss the meat in the mixture.

2. Heat the remaining oil in a wide frying pan over a high heat. Brown the meat on all sides.

3. Chop up the onions, garlic, carrots and potatoes. Add to pan and cook gently for about 5 minutes.

4. Transfer the contents of the pan to a soup pot or crock pot. Add beef broth and Guinness Beer.

5. Cover with the lid and simmer very gently until the meat is tender -- 2 to 3 hours. The stew may be cooked on top of the stove or in a crock pot. 

Organic Lavender Shortbread Cookies

So Delicious, You Can't Eat Just Ten!

ell, not really, but you get my drift. I don't eat refined sugar, but that doesn't stop me from baking for events and friends. This Organic Lavender Shortbread Cookie recipe is a crowd pleaser. My daughter Selah and I perfected this recipe for a Science Fair project that she presented on the value of lavender in food, medicine, sleep aide and aromatherapy.

       

The cookies earned her high points. She also opened up the ears of one of her stuffed animals, removed the stuffing and put the extra lavender buds into the ears of her stuffed elephant. You can never have too many lavender buds around the house.

Jalapeños Cheddar Cheesecake

 

ow that I have started experimenting with appetizer cheesecakes I just can't seem to stop myself.  For my Super Bowl Party I put a spicy twist in that turned out delicious.  The spicy jalapeños were tamed and enhanced with the addition of cheddar cheese and a cilantro sour cream topping.

         

The corn bread crust added just the right flavor to make my new favorite.  The Jalapeños Cheddar Cheesecake has been the talk of the office all day. 

Organic Agave Cheesecake

Healthy And Delicious To The Last Bite

hen I was in high school, I created the best cheesecake recipe ever. Over the years, it has changed to reflect my lifestyle and food choices. Today, this recipe for organic cheesecake sweetened naturally reflects my organic choices.

       

I stopped eating processed white sugar several years ago. In the past year, I discovered organic agave nectar which has opened up the world of baking again to me. I hope you enjoy this recipe for a most divine cheesecake made with agave and other fresh, organic ingredients.

Blue Cheese Cheesecake

Wow Friends and Family With This Delicious Recipe

love the way blue cheese looks. The natural marbeling is so pretty and the texture makes it fun to use in just about any dish. Even cheese cake. Yes, that's right cheese cake.

       

Next time you are in charge of appetizers whip up this simple and unique Blue Cheese Cheesecake. It only sounds odd, but it is delicious. I made this one up for a get together in early December. It was so good, I made it again at Christmas time for family.