Happy hump day friends! I apologize for my recent absence and lack of posts around these parts but life has been all kinds of crazy lately. Crazy in a good way – a very good way – but it has left little time for blogging. Don’t worry I will be back very soon with lots of yummy new recipes and some very exciting news! Don’t ask what – I don’t want to spoil it just yet – but its good, really good!
In the meantime I just had to spread some love for my girl Juli’s new upcoming cookbook Juli Bauer’s Paleo Cookbook! Juli (aka PaleOMG) was nice enough to send me a copy of her cookbook a few weeks before it hit shelves so that I could share some of the recipes with my fabulous readers. Let me tell you, I have been drooling over the pictures since it arrived. In fact, the recipes looked so scrumptious that J and I had a mini marathon of cooking Juli’s recipes this weekend.
If you’ve been around for a while, then you have no doubt heard me gush about Juli before. Juli was one of the first Paleo bloggers I started following when I adopted a Paleo diet over three years ago and she has yet to lead me astray. A Cave Girl in her own right with a positive attitude and a smart mouth, Juli is a self-taught cook who wants to make healthy cooking easy for everyone.
As I read through Juli Bauer’s Paleo Cookbook the first time this weekend, I was blown away not only by the beautiful photography (shout-out to my friends Hayley and Bill over at Primal Palate) but by how simple she makes cooking for readers. At the bottom of almost every page, you’ll find a couple recipes to help you complete a meal, inspire you in your next meal, or show you what to use that certain ingredient with.
And – as usual – Juli’s personality is as strong as ever, shining through every page of the cookbook. I literally felt like I was baking with my best friend during a sleep over as I whipped up this Easy Chocolate Hazelnut Spread and ate it straight from the jar!
Today I am sharing the recipe for Juli’s Easy Chocolate Hazelnut Spread! If you aren’t sure what to use it on, just look at the bottom of the page in the cookbook and it says, “Add this spread to: Mini Chocolate Hazelnut Scones, Chocolate Hazelnut Pumpkin Bread, and Chocolate Hazelnut Iced Mochas.” Wonder no more because Juli is so crafty she answered all of your questions before you even had them!
Juli was nice enough to send me an extra copy of Juli Bauer’s Paleo Cookbook, which I will be giving away over on Instagram today! Be sure to follow me if you haven’t already so you don’t miss out!
- 1 1⁄4 cups hazelnuts
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place the hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the hazelnuts have darkened and the skins easily fall off. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Use your fingers or a towel to remove the skins from the hazelnuts. They should come off pretty easily, but don’t worry if there are some random pieces of skin that won’t come off.
- Place the hazelnuts in a high-speed blender such as a Blendtec, or in a food processor. Process for about 20 to 30 seconds, until completely creamy.*
- Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in a bowl in the microwave, then stir.
- Pour the melted chocolate into the blender or food processor and pulse until completely combined and smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Store in a closed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.