Puffed Brown Rice chocolate squares

When Orion was really little we used to give him  organic puffed brown rice to snack on, or to let him feel like he was included in the meal. I still have multiple bags in my pantry, I was struggling to find something to do with them and thought of how much I used to love puffed wheat squares. Now the original version would not work with our allergies and the fact that I have an aversion to corn syrup. I had to laugh at all the versions I found that labeled them as healthy when they contain cups upon cups of sugar. My recipe is by no means healthy but it isn't made with refined sugars so I consider it ok in moderation. This would be really tasty with coconut stirred in but my husband hates coconut and would be very disappointed if he couldn't eat these.

1/2 cup palm shortening (You could sub coconut oil here if you would like)
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup Palm sugar
1/3 plus 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

8 cups organic puffed brown rice
1/4 cup chia seeds

Line a 9x 13 pan with wax paper
In a medium sauce pan, on medium heat melt shortening and honey together, mix in palm sugar and cocoa powder until a smooth consistency is reached.
In a extra large greased bowl mix brown rice puffs and chia seeds, Pour chocolate sauce over it all and mix until it is all evenly coated.
Firmly press mixture into your pan refrigerate for 30 minutes. Pop out of pan and cut into desired pieces

Vegan chocolate shortbread bars

I was reading the Presidents choice insiders report today, it always makes me crave all sorts of things. Since I already had supper in the crockpot, I decided to indulge my sweet tooth and bake. I have a sink load of dishes waiting to go in the dishwasher so I didn't really want to make a huge mess. I settled for something simple, quick and chocolately. This is in no way shape or form anything that resembles healthy. It is full of white flour, refined sugar and chocolate. Sometimes you have to live a little though, ;) Everything in moderation right?. I couldn't find any recipes that were vegan, so I just winged it and substituted it a bit.

Here is the original recipe "non vegan recipe" from About.com

Here is my version:

Vegan Chocolate chip shortbread bars

2-1/2 cups white flour
1/2 cup white sugar,
1 cup Earth Balance shortening, cold and cut into cubes
1 cup Dairy free chocolate chips,  (I used 1/2 cup Enjoy life chocolate chips, 1/2 chopped Lindt Dark chocolate)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

Place flour and sugar in large bowl. Mix with wire whisk. 

Add cut shortening. toss lightly with your hands or a fork to coat the cubes.

 Use a pastry cutter, to blend shortening into flour/sugar mixture until crumbly. 

Hand stir in the mini chocolate chips. 

Dump mixed ingredients into 9x13 pan. Press firmly with fingers and level-out.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly brown on top.

 Remove from oven.  Cool for 5 minutes then cut shortbread into squares, DO NOT REMOVE FROM PAN

Cool completely before serving.

Hot out of the oven!