Double Chocolate Cookies

I am a cookie monster.

No, really.  Every baked good coming out of my kitchen these days is a cookie.  And I bake a lot.

I'm not complaining though.  A cookie everyday is something I'm more than happy to deal with, and when each and every cookies is good-for-me, it's no crime to my health either.  A win, win situation.

But what is even better?  Chocolate Cookies!

And I'm not just talking chocolate chip.  No sir!  I'm talking deep, dark, cocoa powder loaded, deee-licious cookies with chocolate chips.  Oh, yes.

These here cookies are all that... and more.  You know, 'cause I haven't mentioned the 100% healthy part.

Loaded with milk chocolate chips, just a smidge of peanut butter, and, oh right, no gluten (!), these cookies are not something to miss out on.

And did I mention I also snuck in some spinach?  Shhhh....

Double Chocolate Cookies

• 2/3 cup + 1/2 cup oats
• 2 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 tbsp yogurt (soy, greek, etc)
• 3 tbsp milk
• 2 egg whites (6 tbsp)
• 1/4 cup spinach (frozen or fresh, thaw if frozen)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• pinch salt
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 3 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 cup milk chocolate baking melts (or your favorite chocolate chip)

Preheat oven to 380F.  Place oats in food processor and process until ground into small pieces.  Place in a large bowl and set aside. Combine peanut butter, yogurt, milk, egg whites, and spinach in a food processor and process until completely smooth.  Add baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder to bowl with oats.  Mix together.  Add spinach mixture to bowl, and mix again until well incorporated.  Add in maple syrup, vanilla, and baking melts.  Stir together until fully combined.  Scoop by 1/2 tbsp onto a greased cookie sheet.  Press flat with back of spoon.  Bake for 7-8  minutes.  I like these cookies best warm, but they're good room temp as well.

So just to clarify, these cookies are gluten free, as they're made from ground oats, really yummy, and pack in some veggies.  A pretty great package if you ask me!

So mix 'em up, steal some raw dough, and grab one straight from the oven while it's hot.  Enjoy everyone!

Revisited Recipe of the Day:


Cookie Butter Cups

Not Your Average Blueberry Muffins

Blueberry muffins have a special place in my heart.

I can remember eating one by the beach on vacation, buying jumbo sized ones at the local bakery in town, and munching just on the muffin top while parading around the house as a five or six year old.

Because of those memories I've been hesitent to "re-do" or "healthify" the classic Blueberry Muffin.  I do, however, want a tasty substitute to satisfy any craving I may get, because, as you may know, despite the appearance of superfood blueberries, blueberry muffins cake be incredibly bad for you.

I came up with the perfect plan: Don't take on the classic jumbo blueberry muffin, but instead create a similar recipe with healthier touches, that can be eaten guilt-free at any time.  The result was absolutely delicious, and didn't hurt my fond memories one bit.  I give you...

Not Your Average Blueberry Muffins!

Like the title suggests, these muffins are definitely not your average ones.  If you were to walk into a bakery, I'm postive there wouldn't be a single blueberry muffin that tastes like these.  So, If you're looking for a remake of the classic treat, this may not be quite what you want.  However, if you'd like a healthier blueberry muffin recipe (or even just a muffin recipe) that won't ruin your diet, you need to read on.

These just may be the yummiest healthy muffins ever!

Not Your Average Blueberry Muffins

• 1/2 cup spelt flour
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp ground flax
• 2 tbsp turbinado sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/3 cup frozen cauliflower, thawed
• 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp milk
• 3 tbsp yogurt (soy, greek, etc)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2 - 1 cup bluberries (frozen or fresh)

Preheat oven to 350F.  In a large bowl, combine flours, baking soda, salt, baking powder, flax, and sugar.  Mix together.  In the bowl of a food processor, combine cauliflower, milk, yogurt, spices, and maple syrup.  Blend until completely smooth.  Pour wet ingredients into dry, and mix until a smooth batter forms.  Fold in blueberries.  Scoop batte rinto greased muffin tins.  Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.  Makes 10 muffins.

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Cinnamon Sugar Muffins

Chocolate Glazed Bundt Cake

When you walk into a bakery, or flip through a cookbook, there are alwasy some foods that catch your eye.

The almost too pretty to eat foods, the foods that make your mouth water, the foods that you can just see yourself digging into. 

I say this cake falls into all three categories.

I can see myself walking into a bakery, seeing a piece of this beauty on display, and asking for it right then and there.  Nevermind that it's also healthy.

You see, this cake's got a lot going for it.  It's a bundt cake so it's already prettier than other cake, but than it's also a mini bundt cake... and I'm sure you know that mini desserts are just so much better than normal sized ones.  Portion control in a cute little package, right?

But then, I went and made this cake even more mouth watering by adding that delicious chocoalte glaze you've seen in the pictures.

It's actually quite simple, just a mix of prune puree, cocoa, and egg whites, but it adds another dimension of flavor... and covers up any whole on the cake's surfacs.  Shhh... it's our little secret.

So what are you waiting for?  Scroll down and read the recipe, so you can dig into this delicious-ness yourself.

Chocolate Glazed Bundt Cake
For cake:

• 1 cup spelt flour
• 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup extra dark cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• pinch nutmeg
• pinch ginger
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3 tbsp ground flax
• 9 tbsp water
• 3/4 cup egg whites
• 3/4 cup applesauce
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/3 cup turbinado sugar

For glaze:

• 1/4 cup prune puree
• 1 tbsp extra dark cocoa
• 1 tbsp egg whites

Preheat oven to 350F.  Combine dry ingredients for cake in a medium bowl.  In a small bowl, mix together flax and water, and allow to sit for a few minutes.  Whisk together flax mixture and all remaining ingredients for cake in a large bowl.  Slowly add dry ingredients to wet, whisking as you go.  Continue whisking until all flour in incorporated and batter is smooth.  Pour batter into a greased bundt pan.  It won't reach the top, but that's ok, that is what makes it a mini cake.  Bake bundt cake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let cake cool before removing from pan.

To make glaze, simply mix together all 3 ingredients (prune puree, cocoa, and egg whites) in a small bowl.  When cake has been removed from pan, pour glaze on top and use a spoon to spread it out until the whole top of the cake is covered.  Store cake in fridge.

This is definitely one of the best cakes I've made.  Though it's completely fat free, it's got the texture of a "normal" cake and is incredibly fudgy.  You can also freeze any leftover slices, and then reheat them in the microwave for an easy (and healthy) dessert on a busy night.  Sometimes you just need some chocolate.

Anyway, you need to make this cake some time.  It's, like, really good.  And that's all you need to know.

Revisited Recipe of the Day: 

Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Who wants an Apple Chocolate Muffin for breakfast?

I've had oatmeal as breakfast for the past week.

Don't get me wrong, i love oatmeal, but I'm all oatmeal-ed out. . . at least for a bit.  Instead, i wanted a muffin for breakfast; a muffin with chocolate (because along with too much oatmeal, i have been very deprived of chocolate chips).

So, because i didn't have any chocolate chip muffin recipes in mind, i went to my trusted friend Google.  The results provided many yummy looking muffins, but i ran into a problem: each recipe yielded too many chocolate muffins (yes i did just say too many chocolate muffins, i'm surprised too).  I modified my search and came up with a Chocolate Covered Katie recipe:  a single serving Pumpkin Chocolate-Chip Muffin.

I just modified the recipe to not include pumpkin, and voilà, just what i wanted.

Apple Chocolate Single Serving Muffins

inspired by CCK Pumpkin Chocolate-Chip Muffin

3 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 tablespoon apple sauce

a big pinch cinnamon 

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/16 teaspoon salt

A little over 1/4 table spoon chocolate chips

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix ingredients and pour into oiled muffin pan (just remember no metal in the microwave).  Microwave for around 90 seconds, frost (if desired), and then eat greedily.

There you go, the perfect little breakfast for a day when you need to quickly get out the door.

Enjoy it!

Pumpkin Squares

For some reason I woke up today wanting pumpkin.

And, i found a ton hidden in a cabinet so i went ahead and found a recipe to make up some pumpkin bars.   However, i decided i liked squares more, and thus the pumpkin square was born.

Here's the recipe:

Pumpkin Squares
(makes 15-20 small squares)

Inspired by Chocolate Covered Katie's Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bars

1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg (or a vegan substitute like a flax or chia egg)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons applesauce
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Combine and mix dry ingredients in a bowl.  Combine and mix wet ingredients in a different bowl, then combine and mix again.  Spread into oiled loaf pan and bake for around 15 minutes.

They look good, huh?

Go ahead, make them.

Who says you can't have pumpkin in April?