Indulge in these delicious soft pretzel bites, dipped into a spiced cheddar cheese sauce.

Buttery, soft, salty, and warm, these pretzel bites are impossible not to love and are the epitome of comfort food. Paired with a thick, creamy, and every-so-slightly spicy cheese dip, the doughy bites are sheer heaven. Don’t take it from me, though – try your hand at making them yourself. Not only are they straightforward to make but also taste better than any version you’d buy elsewhere. Please a crowd, or just yourself, with these homemade soft pretzel bites. Forewarning: you may want to double or triple the recipe just to be safe.

Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites with Spicy Cheese Dip

Makes 70-80 bites

Ingredients

For the soft pretzel bites

• 1 ½ cups lukewarm water
• 1 packet (just over 2 teaspoons) instant yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 4 cups all-purpose flour + extra for kneading
• ½ cup baking soda
• 1 large egg, beaten
• Coarse sea salt for sprinkling

For the spicy cheese sauce

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup whole milk
• 6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon chili powder

Directions

For the soft pretzel bites, dissolve the yeast into the water. Stir and set aside for a few minutes. The water will bubble slightly. If not, stir in a pinch of white sugar to help activate the yeast. Transfer the yeast mixture to a large bowl and add the salt, brown sugar, and butter. Stir. Fold in the flour, one cup at a time, until the dough holds its own and is not sticky – it may take a bit less or more than the four-cup suggestion. Poke the center with your finger – if the dough bounces back, it is ready.

Form the dough into a ball on a floured surface. Place the dough ball into a bowl and cover the bowl with a damp towel. Set aside for a half-hour.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Take the dough and place it on a floured surface. Cut the dough into 5-6 separate sections. Roll out each section into long ropes about 20 inches in length. Slice the rope into 1-2-inches thick pieces.

In a large pot over high heat, bring water to a boil. Add ten of the dough bites at a time into the water. Boil for 30 sections before removing and placing them 1-2 inches apart from one another on the baking sheet. Boil another ten dough bites and repeat until all the dough bites have boiled.

Brush each dough bite with the beaten egg and sprinkle each lightly with the coarse sea salt before popping the baking sheets into the oven – in rounds – cooking for 15 minutes each.

While the bites are cooking, prepare the cheese sauce. Add the butter and flour to a small saucepan. Whisk the butter and flour together until bubbly. Continue to cook while whisking for another 30 seconds. Whisk the milk into the mixture and turn the heat up slightly, bringing the mixture to a simmer. Continue to whisk as the mixture thickens.

Once the mixture is thick enough to coat a spoon, turn off the heat. Stir in the cheddar, a handful a time, until the cheese is completely melted and the mixture is stirred smooth. Lastly, stir in the salt and chili powder.

Once the bites are finished cooking, place them on a serving plate next to the cheese sauce and enjoy!

Related on Organic Authority

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Soft Pretzel Nuggets Image from Shutterstock

The post Soft Pretzel Bites Recipe with a Spicy Cheddar Cheese Dip: Comfort Food at its Finest appeared first on EcoSalon.

What’s up, Doc? How about healthy snacking on delicious baked carrot chips?

Carrot chips are the newest addition to my baked-chip family. They’re much smaller than, say, sweet potato chips, but still have a crispy bite with a rooty texture. This recipe is as straightforward as it gets — you’re just three ingredients away from a healthy, guilt-free snack.

Carrots not only provide you with a hearty vegetable chip-worthy experience but also with quite a few nutrients. Carrots contain a a compound, almost exclusive to the vegetable, called falcarinol, which is a cancer preventative. The root veggie also improves vision with its high vitamin A and beta-carotene content, prevents heart disease with its carotenoids, lowers blood cholesterol levels, reduces the risk of stroke, nourishes the skin, helps slow the process of aging, and contributes to dental health.

Start chipping away!

Crispy Baked Carrot Chips

Ingredients

• 3-4 large carrots
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Salt to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Slice the carrots into thin, although not transparent, circular pieces.

Toss in olive oil and using hands, make sure that each piece is covered evenly. Lay out the sliced carrot on a baking sheet so that each has its own place. This will ensure that they cook evenly and have room to bake to a crisp.

Pop them into the oven for 15-20 minutes, but keep an eye out, because depending on how thick you cut the carrots, the cooking time will be different. Once the carrots begin to brown slightly and curl up is when they are ready. You don’t want to burn them, just to notice a slight discoloration.

Allow the carrot chips to cool before serving. Eat them plain or try serving with a homemade dip.

 Photo Credit: GlowKitchen

 Aylin Erman currently resides in Istanbul and is creator of plant-based recipe website GlowKitchen.

The post Snack Away with this Crispy Baked Carrot Chips Recipe appeared first on EcoSalon.

Once a rare indulgence, brownies now deserve to be a regular treat!

While the exact numbers vary, a traditional brownie serving contains nearly 400 calories, half of which comes from fat. The recipe usually calls for butter, unsweetened chocolate, white sugar, eggs, and all-purpose flour, all of which add no nutritional value. This recipe is a sugar-free, vegan alternative to traditional brownies, using whole-wheat and maple syrup as the base. It’s a delicious and guilt-free way to get the dense chocolate taste you crave!

The sugar, dairy, and egg-free benefits of this recipe aside, these brownies contain one of the healthiest nuts – walnuts! Walnuts contain healthy omega-3s, which protect arteries and improve brain function. The nut also prevents gallstones, is a rich source of melatonin, which helps you sleep, contributes to bone health, stops weight gain, and helps treat diabetes.

Vegan Brownies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 3/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup canola oil (or coconut oil)
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Combine the dry ingredients (but only 1/2 cup of the chopped walnuts) in a large bowl.

Mix the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until evenly combined. The mixture will be thick.

Spread into an ungreased 8×8 glass pan, top with the remaining 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts, and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 20-25 minutes. To check if it’s ready, push down on the center with your index finger. If you sense resistance, it’s done.

Serve and enjoy some guilt-free chocolate decadence!

Bon Appetit!

Images: Jeffry W.,  Aylin Erman

Aylin Erman currently resides in Istanbul and is creator of plant-based recipe website GlowKitchen.

The post Nutritional Breakdown: A Vegan Revamp on the Classic Brownie Recipe appeared first on EcoSalon.

Cauliflower brings the flavor and bulk sans the guilt.

Vegetable casseroles are where it’s at. Because the dish is a casserole, you feel a bit indulgent, which takes care of all those cravings for comfort, while not sidetracking your healthy lifestyle. This recipe calls for cauliflower and red pepper, but I’ve used many different vegetables – mostly root vegetables – in their place, such as broccoli, shredded carrot, celery root, beets, Crimini mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, and artichokes. The only “heavy” ingredient is shredded cheese. Use any raw goat or sheep cheese you can find, and there is no worrying weather your body will be able to process it all.

But today, the focus is on cauliflower, which is an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin K, manganese, omega-3 fatty acids, and minerals. It helps protect against free radical damage, reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer, and has anti-inflammatory properties. Cauliflower also boosts brain function and because of its fiber content, promotes digestive health.

Cauliflower Casserole

Serves 1-2

Ingredients:

• 1 cauliflower head
• 1 large red pepper
• 1 garlic clove
• Dash of salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup shredded raw goat or sheep cheese

Directions:

Remove the core and stems of the cauliflower so that only the florets and a bit of their stems remain. Remove the inside flesh and seeds from the red pepper, and then chop it finely. Dice the garlic.

In a pot over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the cauliflower, red pepper, garlic, salt and pepper. Stir for 1 minute and then add the water. Immediately close the pot with a lid and reduce the heat to medium-low. This allows the cauliflower to steam and soften. After 2 minutes, remove the lid, stir the vegetables, and then transfer them to a casserole dish.

Sprinkle with cheese and place in the oven to broil on high for 1-2 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.

To share or not to share? Either way, enjoy!

Aylin Erman currently resides in Istanbul and is creator of plant-based recipe website GlowKitchen.

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