raspberry lemon coconut bars

since realizing I was gluten intolerant, the amount of baking I've done has dwindled down to almost nothing. in Taiwan it's rare to find gluten-free baking mixes, and they are always even more overpriced than in the states. so when I discovered this recipe for raspberry bars that uses NO FLOUR whatsoever, I was really excited.

I spent 5 minutes staring at the preserves section of the import store trying to decide what I wanted... then gave up and just bought both jars.

I returned to my tiny kitchen hungry and excited. I pulled out our second-hand food processor to start crushing the nuts for the crust and realized... I only had about 1/2 cup of almonds while the recipe called for 2 cups. rather than wait [or go back to the store] I decided to improvise by using what I had on hand. I added 1/2 cup cashews to the almonds, and 1 cup of coconut flakes that I processed into a powder.

I really wanted these to have beautiful swirls with the raspberry and lemon but they sortof just blended together. oh well. they still tasted amazing. you should also know that cutting and stacking these immediately will result in all your slices fusing together to create one mega-slice which [let's be honest] is only a problem if you're planning on sharing. if you plan to eat said mega-slice with a spoon while curled up on your couch watching Frozen on a lazy afternoon... then you're golden.

recipe adapted from glutenfreeveganlove

1 cup almonds, or mixed almonds and cashews
1 cup shredded coconut [unsweetened]
1/3 cup liquid coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg

process coconut until it forms a coarse powder, then remove. process nuts until they start to bind together, then add back in coconut, oil, vanilla, and egg. process until well blended into a dough.

press dough into a parchment-lined 8in x 8in pan and bake for 20 minutes at 175C/350F in your toaster oven [or your conventional oven.] spread preserves over the crust then return to oven for another 5 - 10 minutes. let cool, cut into squares, enjoy!

these squares are the perfect way to treat yourself! speaking of... today I'm co-hosting the treat yo self thursday linkup with Nicole of Treasure Tromp and Alicia of Jaybird. feel free to link up your latest post below and make some new friends!


Welcome to Treat Yo' Self Thursday!

Alicia | Jaybird

Jaybird is an inspirational lifestyle blog about everything from banishing overwhelm to Chicago coffee shops to easy recipes. It's both a journal and a user's manual for creating a home wherever life takes you.   1 Adventure in 2014: It may not seem wildly adventurous since there's a lot of international travel going on here on Treasure Tromp, but I'm hoping to head west this summer for a hiking trip to Washington state. I've really missed hiking and spending outside, so I'd love to climb Mount Rainier and visit a few wineries.   2 Posts You Need To Read: 1) A Guide To Being Alone 2) How to Banish Overwhelm and Just. Get. Through. This.  3 Words to Describe Jaybird:. Joyous, Helpful, Thoughtful.   Treat Yo' Self, Alicia! I am a huge whisky girl, so I love buying a nice bottle of single malt scotch and savoring it over time. So apparently by "whisky girl" I might mean "70-something grandpa in the body of a 20-something lady".
connect: blog | bloglovin' | twitter | pinterest | facebook | instagram   

Jamie | ink + adventure

Ink + Adventure is a collection of travel stories and expat exploits, expressed through my passions for writing and photography. I share both my struggles and successes as I navigate life as an American in Taiwan - all while writing my first book, driving a scooter and baking in a toaster oven.   1 Adventure in 2014: I'm going to Tokyo Disney this spring for my 29th birthday. [I'm not yet sure how many times I plan to turn 29, so I think this first one should be something special!] We've done a lot of traveling to places to see the culture and historical sights, and I think a touristy vacation will be a fun change of pace. Plus- who doesn't love Disney?   2 Posts You Need To Read: 1) Why I Love to Read Your Blog 2) Some Days I Hate Taiwan.  3 Words to Describe ink + adventure:.travel, photographs, expat-life.   Treat Yo' Self, Jamie! I like to splurge at the import store for a snack. Usually this involves Dr. Pepper and potato chips -barbecue, cheddar and onion, or salt and vinegar [if I can find them.] There's also a lovely little macaron stand in the fancy department store I frequent.
connect: blog | bloglovin' | twitter | pinterest | facebook | instagram | google+--

<div align="center"><br /><a href="http://www.treasuretromp.com" title="Treasure Tromp" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.treasuretromp.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/treat-yo-self-thursday3-e1391492390370.jpg" alt="Treasure Tromp" style="border:none;" /></a></div><br />

     

How to Treat Yo' Self:

1. Link up your most recent blog post.
2. Hop over and follow this week's co-hosts, Jamie and Alicia. They are awesome, I promise!
3. Grab a button or link back so that more people can join the fun.
4. Visit at least 2 other blogs and share the love.
5. Spread the word by using the hashtag #TreatYoSelfThursday and I'll retweet your link!

Treat Yo' Self!

An InLinkz Link-up

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toaster oven recipes// baked spinach artichoke dip

welcome to the first installation [of what I hope will be many] of: toaster oven recipes.

many of you know that in a previous life I was an avid baker, and even had a blog full of sweets + recipes. then a few things hapened: I became gluten intolerant and I moved to Taiwan, without all my kitchen gadgets.

so what is a toaster oven recipe? these recipes will include things that I bake - yes - in my toaster oven. but also things you can make with a simply equipped kitchen. the tools I have at my disposal will be all that are needed. namely: gas burners, a microwave, a crock pot, and of course the toaster oven. no fancy gadgets and no rare ingredients.

most of the measurements won't be precise. I do own a measuring cup, but not measuring spoons. I use literal teaspoons and tablespoons. if something is too dry, I add more liquid. if I'm short an egg, I improvise. one time I made pie crust using a cheese grater to cut the butter and a wine bottle as a rolling pin. [100% serious] this may not be the best way to communicate a recipe... but this is what life in my expat kitchen is like.

I hope that you will be able to enjoy these recipes in your own home, though they may require some experimentation on your part. but that, my friends, is the true joy of cooking.

ok, let's talk spinach artichoke dip. there are 456,874 other recipes out there on the internet. but once upon a time I had the. best. recipe. given to me as a christmas gift. it was a handwritten copy and if it still exists at all, it's taped inside the cover of one of my cookbooks packed away with the rest of my kitchen back in the states. I could NOT find this recipe online anywhere, so I did my best to recreate it from memory.

8oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup shredded mozzerella
1 cup shredded parmesan
1/2 cup mayonaise
16 oz can artichoke hearts, chopped
12 oz frozen spinach, defrosted
2 cloves fresh garlic
paprika, nutmeg
salt + pepper to taste

let me state loud and clear that this is NOT a healthy version of this recipe. I found plenty that called for greek yogurt or even pureed white beans, but if I'm going to eat spinach dip it's going to be the good [aka the really bad for you] stuff.

start by mixing together your cream cheese, mayo, minced garlic and spices. I never measure spices, but I would guess about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of paprika and nutmeg each. you could also use garlic powder if you don't have fresh on hand. then mix in your shredded cheeses.

we actually buy our spinach fresh here and freeze it ourselves... so I'm guessing I used about the same as your standard box of frozen spinach. if you want more spinach, just add more. I like to crunch up the spinach while it's still frozen to break it into smaller pieces. defrost your spinach in the microwave, squeeze it dry between paper towel, and add to the mixture.

chop your artichoke hearts into bits as big or small as you like and add to the mixture as well. canned or marinated in a jar will both work. spread the dip into a glass baking dish. the dip will melt best if it's about 1 inch thick, so use a larger dish or split into two smaller dishes if you need to. you can cover the dip at this point and keep in the fridge overnight, just let it sit at room temp for a while before popping in the oven.

bake the dip at 350F/175C until the cheese is melted and it's nice and bubbly. mine took 20-30 minutes in the toaster oven. if the top starts to get too brown you can cover it with foil for a bit.

I made this dip for our superbowl brunch and even my friend's cat, Blanca, couldn't resist.

[and I couldn't resist sharing this beautiful fuzzball. can you tell I miss my cats? anyway...]

spinach artichoke dip is one of my favorites, and this recipe is full of creamy melty and garlicky goodness. serve the dip with tortilla chips or pita crisps and watch it disappear. leftovers can be reheated in the microwave... if you have any, that is.

enjoy!

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