Lee Hersh

chocolate dipped brownie bites.

March 16, 2023 by Lee Hersh Leave a Comment

I went on a sprinkle binge this weekend.

A Halloween sprinkle binge.

It’s officially October tomorrow. I’m not ashamed of my premature festive-sprinkle-madness.

Pardon my recipe-repeat today. Although I’m sure you never saw the originals posted back in March. Thankfully we’re nearing Halloween because those old photos may give you a fright!

I figured I’d showcase the brownie bites for you again because (1) I wanted to bake these brownies and (2) I want you to bake these brownies.

Get it? Got it. Good.

Whether they are bite sized, oversized, or regular… I’m pretty picky about my brownies.

Actually, it’s the brownie texture I’m particular about.

You see, brownies come in all different forms. They may be cake-like, fudgy, chewy, moist, dense, greasy, or dry. Or a weird combination of all of the above.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I prefer my brownies so chewy and so fudgy that they taste like a dense chocolate frosting you can eat with a fork. Not greasy, not cakey, and certainly not dry. Eww.

But it’s an arduous task to find a homemade brownie recipe that is fudgy, but not greasy. Tender, but not cakey. Chewy, but not dry. Luckily, I have a no-fail homemade brownie recipe encompassing all that.

A recipe that has won my heart for years.

My brownie selling points: this recipe uses melted quality chocolate instead of cocoa powder, thus producing an extremely rich, intense chocolate flavor without drying the brownie out. I also use as little flour as possible, so I can avoid a cakey brownie. There’s also NO mixer needed! Simply melt the butter and chocolate and add the remaining ingredients.

Easy peasy.

To make the brownie bites, I simply cut the baked and cooled brownies into tiny squares. You could also cut them into rectangles or use cookie cutters to make assorted shapes.

I chill my brownie bites before I dip them because they are much too delicate to dip into heavy chocolate when they are room temperature.

For dipping my goodies, whether it is chocolate covered pretzels or today’s brownies, I almost always use Ghirardelli Baking Bars. These bars are good quality chocolate and melt very easily. Plus, I can usually find them on sale and stock up.

The amount of chocolate in my pantry at any given time is startling.

Now comes the fun part! After you melt the chocolate, simply dip the top of the chilled brownie bite into it.

Did I even need to type that out?!

Then you can go sprinkle-crazy with your brownie bites! Use any sprinkles your heart desires. For today’s brownies, I used my collection of Halloween sprinkles. Pretty!

I need to admit that it’s not the double dose of chocolate that sold me on this recipe.

It was the sprinkles.

Obviously.

A chocolate treat to add to your holiday recipe arsenal, these brownie bites are sure to be gobbled up by kids and adults alike. I plan to wrap them up in little treat bags for my coworkers and friends during the holidays.

Friends reading this post: please act surprised.

*If you prefer, you may use a boxed brownie mix instead the homemade brownies. I promise, I won’t be mad.

chocolate dipped brownie bites

Author: Lee Hersh

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Ingredients

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For the Brownies (or use your favorite boxed mix)

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
8 ounces coarsely chopped bittersweet (or semi-sweet) chocolate (I used 2 4 oz Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Bars)
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

For Dipping

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray 11 x 7 inch baking pan (or 13 x 9 inch baking pan for thinner brownies) with cooking spray. Set aside.
Melt butter and semi-sweet chocolate in a medium saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly (about 6 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature (about 15 minutes).
Stir sugar into cooled chocolate/butter mixture until combined. Add in the eggs one at a time, whisking until smooth after each addition. Whisk in the vanilla. Gently fold in the flour and salt. Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing the top with a knife. Bake for approx 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out *almost* clean.
Allow brownies to cool completely (I stuck mine the refrigerator for 1 hour) and cut into bite-sized squares using a cold knife for clean cuts. Allow to chill the brownie bites for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator. The bites must be cold when you dip them.
When the brownie bites are chilled, begin to dip them. In a medium size bowl, melt the chocolate chips or baking chocolate for about 30 seconds in microwave, stirring every 10 seconds. Microwave for longer until chocolate is completely smooth.
Dip brownie tops into melted chocolate and decorate with sprinkles. Chill in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes until chocolate is hardened.

Notes

I kept my brownie bites in the refrigerator. They are good up to one week stored covered.

Homemade Chewy Fudge Granola Bars

March 16, 2023 by Lee Hersh Leave a Comment

And when I say chewy, I mean chewy.

Think store-bought chewy granola bar meets fudgy no-bake cookie.

Packed with ordinary ingredients like crunchy peanuts, chewy oats, creamy coconut oil, plump raisins, and melty chocolate.

Really really really melty chocolate.

A healthy medley of texture, taste, sweet & salty all in one little snack bar.

Simple and innocent as they seem, these have GOT to be the best granola bar I’ve ever tasted. That’s mighty big praise for a simple little health bar. Storebought have nothing on these.

What makes them so wonderful? Let me count the ways.

It’s a recipe that comes together in 10 minutes flat; you hardly have to expend ANY effort to make these. The ingredients are all pantry-staples. Nothing weird and certainly nothing unheard of.

Start with coconut oil. Coconut oil lends the softest texture EVER to no-bake cookies or granola bars. Combined with some chocolate chips, it creates a luscious and creamy base for the rest of today’s ingredients. Plus, it’s a much healthier fat than canola oil or butter.

Read here for the health benefits of coconut oil

Please note: there is no underlying coconut taste in these bars. So even if you loathe coconut, no fret! You won’t be able to taste it.

We’ve also got a mix of old-fashioned rolled oats and crispy rice cereal (Rice Krispies). The oats give the bars an unbelievably chewy texture and the crispy rice cereal gives the bars some bulk.

There is absolutely no added refined sugars in these granola bars.

Much unlike the funky gunky stuff you’ll find in store-bought bars, my granola bars are sweetened with maple syrup and chocolate chips. No fake stuff here. Just wholesome ordinary ingredients that you probably already have on hand.

Holding the bars together is a hefty dose of crunchy peanut butter.

We all know the magic powers of peanut butter & chocolate, so let’s just move right along.

Let’s talk chunks. When it comes to granola bars, the more chunks, the better.

In addition to the chunky peanut butter, I threw honey roasted peanuts and raisins into my granola bars. My pantry is nearly always stocked with both because I eat and bake with them so often. In fact, the ONLY ingredient in my favorite homemade peanut butter is… honey roasted peanuts. Love!

Feel free to use whatever chunks you like – coconut, butterscotch chips, almonds, banana chips, seeds, or dried cranberries. The bars are completely customizable to what YOU like– the sky is the limit here.

The coconut oil makes the bars unbelievably soft. The melted chocolate chips turn into fudge. You have chunky peanut butter and peanuts to give the bars back some crunch. Chewy oats, plump raisins keeping their shape, and crispy rice cereal. TEXTURE OVERLOAD. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Store these no-bake granola bars in the refrigerator. Kept at room temperature, the bars will not hold their shape and get quite melty due to the liquidty components of coconut oil. Served cold, these bars are like biting into a cold candy bar. Exactly what I’m looking for after a long work day or at midnight. It happens.

Have you ever tried a chilled chocolate bar? Cold is how I prefer them!

Molded in an 8×8 baking pan, the bars can be cut into any shape you prefer.

I cut mine into easy squares and got 12. Try cutting them into rectangles, much like storebought chewy granola bars.

Or just go at the whole pan with a fork, knife, and napkin.

Or use your chocolate-y fingers.

The bars are completely vegan. If you follow a vegan diet, make sure to check the ingredients on your chocolate chips to assure they’re dairy-free.

To err on the healthy side, I didn’t use TOO many chocolate chips in the granola bar base. I simply added them back in on top of the bars.

These granola bars are LONG gone from our kitchen, so today’s post is torture as I sit here typing.

Next batch I’m totally adding M&Ms or sprinkles. (!!!)

Homemade Chewy Fudge Granola Bars – Sallys Baking Addiction

Author: Lee Hersh

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Ingredients

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1/3 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter (or creamy)
1/3 cup maple syrup (or honey)
1 and 1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
3/4 cup crispy rice cereal
3/4 cup add-ins (I used raisins and honey roasted peanuts)
3 Tablespoons mini chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

Line an 8-inch or 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the coconut oil and chocolate chips together until smooth. Stir in the peanut butter and maple syrup. Remove from heat.
Mix in the oats, crispy rice cereal, and add-ins. Press mixture into prepared baking pan. I used the back of a spatula to evenly press. Top with mini chocolate chips if desired.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or freeze for up to one hour. Cut bars into squares. Store bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

12 Energy Ball Recipes

March 15, 2023 by Lee Hersh Leave a Comment

Well ladies and gents, The First Annual Energy Ball Week has finally come to a close. Davida and I are so sad to see this week end, but already planning for next year. #moreballsplease We thought we’d put all of our delicious ball recipes in one spot for easy access. I also wanted to go over some “ball best practices” and talk about the equipment and storage method I use.

I think the thing I’m going to miss most about ball week is 7 days straight of ball jokes. Big balls, little balls, delicious balls, schweaty balls. Just because it’s all over, doesn’t mean the jokes ever have to end, okay?

Equipment

Ninja Mega Kitchen System (high-speed food processor)
Cookie Sheet
Parchment paper
Wooden spoon
Spatula
Cookie Scoop (tablespoon)

Storage Method

For longer lasting balls I suggest storing them in the freezer! What I do is place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet and spread the balls out on the sheet. I pop them in the freezer for about an hour or two before transferring into a gallon-size bag. They should stay good for a few months!

Cake Batter Energy Balls

Want the taste of cake batter without having to whip up a whole cake? These Cake Batter Energy Balls are a lightened-up and high-protein snack recipe that tastes just like the real thing!

Apple Chai Energy Balls

These Apple Chai Energy Balls are made with rolled oats, dried apples, chai spices, and an almond butter base for a healthy fall sweet treat!

Pecan Pie Energy Balls

Want the delicious taste of Pecan Pie without having to turn on your oven? Try these healthy 3-ingredient Pecan Pie Energy Balls that are ready in minutes and perfect for healthy snacking on the run.

Cherry Pie Energy Balls

All you need are 5 whole ingredients to make these delicious Cherry Pie Energy Balls. They’re the perfect snack and they taste just like cherry pie!

Strawberry Cheesecake Swirl Energy Balls

No cheese necessary to make these Strawberry Cheesecake Swirl Energy Balls! Just dried strawberries, nuts and nutritional yeast for a yummy vegan and gluten-free snack recipe.

Snickers Energy Balls

Need a break? Grab a Snickers Energy Ball! These little morsels of heaven are made with real ingredients and free of gluten, grains, and dairy!

Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Energy Balls

Your favorite seasonal latte just got a makeover! These Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Energy Balls made with pureed pumpkin, oatmeal and pumpkin spice will keep you satisfied all season long.

Healthy Nutella Sea Salt Energy Balls

Who doesn’t love Nutella and sea salt? Make this healthy energy ball recipe made from hazelnuts, cocoa powder, dates, and sea salt for a delicious, irresistible snack!

Lemon Coconut Chia Energy Balls

Bring together tart lemon with sweet coconut in these nutrition-packed Lemon Coconut Chia Energy Balls. These portable snacks help you curb your hunger when you need that 3:00 PM pick-me-up!

PB and J Energy Balls

These no-bake peanut butter and jelly inspired energy balls are a healthy grab and go snack made with dried fruit and nuts! They’re vegan and high-protein!

Crunchy Peanut Butter and Chocolate Energy Balls

Add a little crunch to your energy balls with these Crunchy Peanut Butter Chocolate Energy Balls. Made with just 4 Ingredients, this healthy snack recipe will become a weekly staple!

High-Protein Mint Chip Energy Balls

Need a post workout snack that’s made with real ingredients and loaded with protein? Make these high-protein mint chip energy balls for a guilt-free treat!

Cashew Hemp Seed Bliss Balls

March 14, 2023 by Lee Hersh Leave a Comment

Cashew Hemp Seed Bliss Balls

Member that one time when I only posted ball recipes? Literally, every recipe for for 4 weeks was a ball recipes. Heck- I almost got on Shark Tank for my balls!

Not really, but I like to think I would have been famous for my balls if I would have gone through with that

Instead, I shall stay amateur (Davida) ball maker and keep waiting for my big break. Ha. Ha.

Fer real, these balls rock. I finally picked up some hemp seeds from Whole Foods. I got a big bag for like $9.99. I love the texture and color they add to recipes. Plus they’re loaded with protein and healthy fats. SCORE!

Unlike most of my other ball recipes, these balls surprisingly do not have any nut butter inside. They’re made with pitted dates (no other sweetener involved!), cashew meal, shredded coconut, and of course hemp seeds.

3 my food processor.

I need a bigger one. My little baby one only allows me to make 10 balls at a time.

Ingredients for Cashew Hemp Seed Bliss Balls

pitted medjool dates
cashew meal
shredded coconut
hemp seeds
pinch of salt

See how pretty these little seeds are?

I think they look more appealing than chia seeds…which look like ants in my oatmeal. Now I’m not against eating ants, I just think these multi-colored little bugs look more delish!

Plus- I was bit by fire ants as a kid. Forgive and forget? NEVER!

141 calories- not bad for a ball of deliciousness!

A perfect travel snack or after dinner treat. Tested and proven by your’s truly

Ps:I’m currently visiting my parents in Ohio right now.

Oh the beauty of working for yourself and being able to work anywhere.

See more healthy recipes

Cashew Hemp Seed Bliss Balls

Author: Sandra
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 10 balls 1x

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Ingredients

Scale

Instructions

Place 30 pitted dates in a small food processor. Process for about a minute or until your dates are chopped. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until everything is combined. Using an inch cookie scoop, scoop out dough. Wet hands a little, then roll in your palm to form a ball. You shouldn’t need too much moisture, but wet hands does help! Repeat x 10.

Nutrition

Calories: 141
Sugar: 22g
Fat: 4g
Carbohydrates: 48
Protein: 3g

Chai Apple Chips

March 14, 2023 by Lee Hersh Leave a Comment

Chai Apple Chips

I told you I’d be back with a chai recipe

Ya’ll (I’ve feel like I’ve been saying ya’ll ever since I spent time with Miss Presley in LA), these apple chips are legit!

They are so flavorful, crunchy, and easy to make. The question is- do you have a dehydrator? If not…GET ONE!

This was the best more practical Christmas gift I ever got, minus my food processor which is actually currently broken.

So what do you need to make Homemade Chai Apple Chips?

Apples
Lemon Juice
Chai Spice Mix
Dehydrator

Boom.

I am an apple snob. I love my Galas. Red Delicious coming in a close second.

Really you can use any kind of apple you like. I love Red Delicious because they are naturally sweeter apples and crunchy.

This time around I made apple chips, they’re crunchy. The key is to slice your apples as thin as possible. If you want to make more of a chewy dried apple, slice them a little thicker. To prep them, all you have to do is toss em’ in some lemon juice, which will preserve their color while drying out in the dehydrator.

Then,add a few teaspoons of your homemade chai spice and toss. Place on your dehydrator for about 6 hours at 150 degrees and you’ve got yourself a yummy chai-ey snack!

I currently have these guys stored in a plastic bag in my kitchen cabinet. They should last for a few weeks ….if I don’t eat them first. <—that’s always my issue. I get the question- how long will this last? I usually have no idea because I can’t contain myself when I make something so yummy

For other dried fruit inspired recipes- check out my archives. Plums, kiwi, mango, apple, cherries galore!

Do you have a dehydrator?

What is your favorite kitchen gadget?!

See more healthy recipes

Top recipes

Chai Apple Chips

Author: Sandra
Total Time: 6 hours 30 minutes

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Ingredients

-6 apples, any kind will work
-1 lemon (juiced)
-2 teaspoons chai spice mix

Instructions

Begin by washing and patting dry your apples. Then, slice them thinly and as equally as thick as possibly. This will ensure they all need the same dry time. I kept the skin on.
Next, toss your sliced apples in lemon juice, then sprinkle on chai spice mix.
Place each apple slice on your dehydrating racks, spaced just far enough so they do not touch.
Turn dehydrator to 150F and bake for about 6 hours or until your apple chips are crunchy. (Note: I flipped my apples at about the 3 hour mark, but this shouldn’t be necessary).

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours

Fall Trail Mix

March 14, 2023 by Lee Hersh Leave a Comment

Fall Trail Mix

Make your own fall trail mix for a sweet and salty, in-season snack that’s made with real food and in less than 5 minutes!

I am totally that girl who picks out only the things that she likes out of trail mix. I’ll take the salty raisins and chocolate pleaseeeeee! Seriously though, I always buy giant packs of trail mix and after a while it’s down to just nuts. Who like to eat just nuts?

Today I am partnering with one of the best snacks ever – barkTHINS! Let’s get real, anything that involves dark chocolate is the best snack ever especially if it involves a crunchy topping and sea salt. A sweet treat after dinner is a must for me and this is the perfect little something to tie me over until breakfast (or a midnight snack :P). You guys, this stuff is like CRACK. So yummy and the perfect snack!

I love partnering with brands that care about where they source their ingredients and the quality of the ingredients they use. barkTHINS are a non-GMO and fair trade snack #boomsauce. The ingredient list is super short and I can pronounce all of the words! That’ll tell you something – REAL FOOD IS GOOD.

Let’s talk flavors for a second…

Dark Chocolate Almond with Sea Salt
Dark Chocolate Pretzel with Sea Salt
Dark Chocolate Mint
Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Seed with Sea Salt
Blueberry Quinoa with Agave
Dark Chocolate Toasted Coconut with Almonds
Dark Chocolate Peppermint Pretzel with Sea Salt

You couldn’t pay me to choose my favorite. If you scroll all the way to the bottom of this post, you can try them alllllllll!

So this trail mix has all of my favorite things in it! Salty nuts, dried fruit, and chocolate. Have you ever tried a dried tart cherry? ER MER GERD. I’ve made my own dried cherries before in my dehydrator, but you can get them at Trader Joe’s or Costco for a lot less work. They are SO GOOD and definitely one of my favorite dried fruit! I’ve been putting them in everything lately.

The cool thing about trail mix, is that you can make it your own! This version is simply an inspiration for you to do a little DIY project in the kitchen. This also makes for an amazing gift. I went to a fall party the other day and gave the hostess a big mason jar full of this.