200 calorie Peanut Butter-Chocolate bowls

I grew up with parents who went through different phases of collecting things. During one phase, they collected antiques from the 50's. ANYTHING that said Coca-Cola ended up in the collection. At one point, my dad found an old soda fountain counter complete with spinning stools. This went in our small basement, much to our delight.

My parents also installed a vintage candy machine. I knew where they hid the key and ate Reese's Peanut Butter Cups without paying for them. 3rd-4th grade was awesome. Unlimited Peanut Butter Cups and Corn Nuts!

This old metabolism of mine couldn't handle those PB cups then and certainly can't handle them now.

My love of PB and chocolate knows no bounds. I invented this little snack to fight off the munchies. I usually make one around 10:30 am or 3:00 pm to hold me over in between meals. It packs the necessities- fiber, protein, and fat- for only 200 calories! Say goodbye to granola bars and fiber-you know the number products. (It's one in case you didn't know the number).  This will give you some great nutrients including antioxidants from the dark chocolate cocoa and keep you satisfied until your next meal.

 Ingredients:
1/4 C Old Fashioned Oats (Not the instant kind)
1 Tbsp Peanut Butter
1/2-1 tsp cocoa (If you don't like a strong dark chocolate taste, add less)
1-2 tsp honey, depending on taste

Instructions
1. Add ingredients to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 15 seconds. Stir. Microwave for an additional 5-10 seconds if needed. Peanut butter should be almost liquid. Stir again.

2. EAT. 

ALMOND BUTTER VARIATION:

Ingredients:
1/4 Old Fashioned Oats
1 Tbsp almond butter (Learn to make your own coconut almond butter here)
1 tsp honey (I used coconut flavored honey, but any regular clover will work)

Instructions
1. Add all ingredients to microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 15 seconds. Stir. Microwave again for 10-15 seconds or until almond butter is thin enough to stir into the oats. Final product will be course and kind of crumbly. 

2. EAT. 

You asked for it: Red Velvet Brownies with cream cheeese frosting

I have received a few hints from people who read my blog- MORE EAT YOUR FEELINGS FOOD PLEASE!

I am not about to put myself on a healthy eating pedestal, but I eat very healthy most of the time. If you are a friend in real life, you know I can put unhealthy food away with the best of them, especially at a good party. I could out-eat just about anyone if called to the challenge.

Since I'm SO good at eating, I really can't have processed desserts in my house. I fully 100% with all my heart believe that the chemicals and sweeteners found in processed foods like brownie mixes and cake mixes trigger some beast inside of me and I go nuts! Don't worry, I seek professional help for these obviously ABNORMAL issues :)

For that reason you don't see a lot of treats on this blog. I also RARELY use boxed mixes.  If I do, that dessert is going to a party where other people can eat it. I'm not opposed to boxed mixes, but for me, they're a no-no. I LOVE seeing other bloggers creations out of mixes and their lovely dessert creations so if you want dessert ideas,  there's that thing called pinterest!

I do love myself a good brownie every now and then and knew I wanted to make some for my family party. I trust my food magazines with new recipes and went for Southern Living's Red Velvet Brownie recipe. Nothing beats a delicious homemade brownie.

These were seriously amazing. Dense. Moist. Thick. Balanced. Chewy. Slightly Tangy.

The recipe is one you stir by hand and I followed the recipe to a T except for one little tiny thing. The cute bakers on DC Cupcakes always add apple cider vinegar to anything red velvet, so I threw in a tablespoon of ACV just because.

Here is how I made these brownies:

Ingredients:

• 1 (4-oz.) bittersweet chocolate baking bar, chopped (on the back of your cocoa box you can see how to substitute cocoa and oil for chocolate)
• 3/4 cup butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 (1-oz.) bottle red liquid food coloring
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 3 Tbsp butter, softened
• 1 1/2 C powdered sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla

Directions;

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottom and sides of a 9 X 13 inch pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper allowing 2 to 3 inches to extend over sides; lightly grease foil or paper.
2. Microwave chocolate and butter in a large microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring at 30-second intervals. Whisk in sugar. Add eggs, 1 at a time, whisking just until blended after each addition. Gently stir in flour, food coloring, baking powder, and vanilla extract. Pour mixture into prepared pan.
3. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs. (cooking times may vary) Cool completely on a wire rack (about 2 hours).
4. While brownies are cooling, beat cream cheese, butter, powdered  sugar, vanilla, and salt together in a bowl. Beat until smooth and creamy.
5. Lift brownies from pan, using foil sides as handles; gently remove foil. Spread  Cream Cheese Frosting on top of brownies, and cut into 16 squares. Garnish, if desired.

My awesome cousin is a great sport to demonstrate how easily these can be devoured

My other awesome cousin is laughing at me in the background while I throw all my manners out the window and eat straight from the butchers knife. 

Printable Version

Unbelievable New York Cheesecake

Ah yes, that time I ate Cheesecake at the Carnegie Deli in New York City. That was the time when I quit my terrible door-to-door sales job in Virginia and literally begged a co-worker to take me home since he too quit his terrible door-to-door sales job the same day. We didn't just drive straight home though. We ended up taking about 3 weeks to get home while we travelled anywhere and everywhere we wanted to go. This cheesecake in New York was unforgettable.

Since cheesecake is usually off limits for me because of the insane fat content, I never make it. I heart cheesecake so much though so when I found this recipe for New York Cheesecake in my Cooking Light magazine, I saved it and vowed to make it one day...so a year later I did. This recipe is from their September 2010 issue and WOW this recipe will fool you!

I slimmed it up even more by omitting 3/4 C of the sugar, 3 eggs, and 1 package of cream cheese and it still turned out AMAZING. Below is the original recipe but you can make the changes I did for a cheesecake that will impress all your guests.

Ingredients:

• CRUST
• 1 C Graham cracker crumbs (about 7 cookie sheets)
• 3 Tbsp Sugar
• 1 Large egg white
• Cooking Spray
• FILLING
• 1 ounce all-purpose flour (about 1/4 C)
• 3 (8-ounce) blocks fat-free cream cheese, softened
• 2 (8-ounce) blocks 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1 3/4 C sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon rind
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 3 large egg whites

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. To prepare crust, combine crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar, and 1 egg white in a bowl; toss with a fork until well blended. Lightly coat hands with cooking spray. Press crumb mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes; cool on a wire rack.
3. To prepare the filling, weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine cottage cheese and 8 ounces fat-free cream cheese in a food processor, and process until smooth. Add remaining 16 ounces of fat-free cream cheese, 1/3 less-fat cream cheese, and next 4 ingredients (through vanilla); process until smooth. Add 3 eggs and 3 egg whites; process until blended. Pour cheese mixture into prepared pan. Bake at 325 for 65 minutes or until almost set (center will not be firm but will set as it chills). Turn oven off; cool cheesecake in closed oven 1 hour. Remove from oven; cool on a wire rack. Cover and chill 8 hours. (For a denser, creamier texture, cool the cake in the oven one hour with the oven door ajar instead of closed. Make a day ahead since the cooled cake needs to chill overnight.)

This makes 16 servings. 

Printable Version

1950's Peach Pie

I found a vintage Betty Crocker cookbook at my favorite consignment shop called Mona Lisa's and thought I'd see how they cooked back in 1953. If you can look past all the pictures of women in heels and aprons, this cookbook has some killer recipes!! This pie was to die for. Enough said.

This recipe makes one 9" pie with a top crust.

Ingredients:


Crust:
2 C sifted flour
tsp salt
2/3 C shortening + 2 Tbsp
4 Tbsp. Water

Filling:
7/8 C sugar (If your peaches are ripe like mine were, I'd say cut a little sugar if you're into that)
4 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
4 C fresh, peeled, sliced peaches
1 1/3 Tbsp butter (Who has a 1/3 Tbsp measuring spoon these days? No worries, it's the same as 1 tsp)

1. Measure the flour into the mixing bowl and mix the salt through it.

2. With pastry blender, cut in half the shortening finely until mixture looks like meal. (This makes for tenderness)

3. Cut in the remaining shortening coarsely until particles are the size of giant peas. (This makes for flakiness)

4. Sprinkle with the water, a tbsp  at a time mixing lightly with fork until all the flour is moistened.

5. Gather dough together with the fingers so it cleans the bowl.

6. Press into a ball. Then roll out, or keep in waxed paper in refrigerator until needed.

7. Divide dough about in half. Round up larger part on lightly floured surface. flatten with hand, then roll out not quite 1/8" thick. Work quickly and roll lightly, being careful not to add extra flour as that makes pastry tough.

8. Keep pastry circular and roll it about 1" larger around than the pie pan to line pan and allow for depth.  Fold pastry in half and quickly transfer to pan. Unfold, and pat and fit pastry down into pan, avoiding stretching the dough. Trim the overhanging edges with scissors.

9. Repeat with second crust except trimming of course!

10. For the filling, mix together all ingredients except the butter. Transfer fruit mixture into pastry-lined pie pan and then dot with the butter.

11. Cover with top crust and make several slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Trim any extra edges.

12. Fold hte extra edge of top pastry under edge of lower pastry. Seal thoroughly by pressing together on edge of pan. Build up a fluted edge by crimping the edge with thumb and forefingers.

13. Bake at 425 for 35-45 minutes.


If your pie turned out like mine, there will be nothing left of it and you will realize that you never took a picture of the finished product. Oops :)


Printable Version