I Knead to Bake

Healthy Tropical Fruit Tart

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 03 Oct 2016 14:30:00 +0000

Playing a little catch up today with some of my recent recipes! This fruit tart is one of my new favorites! A crisp macadamia and oat crust, filled with naturally sweetened coconut cream, and topped with fresh mango and sliced strawberries.

This recipe has all the sweet, tasty notes of a dessert but is full of all sorts of healthy ingredients! I shared it as part of my monthly contribution to SomewhatSimple.com so click here to check it out!

At This Moment 03

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 21 Jul 2016 15:50:00 +0000

Making: our home more organized.
Cooking: tonight's dinner and feeling all sorts of productive.
Reading: The One World Schoolhouse written by Salman Kahn.
Wanting: to simplify.
Looking: at my girls building a fort and giggling together.
Playing: home. "Mom do you want to play home? (Insert big brown puppy-dog eyes.) I'm the daddy and you are the sweetie!"
Wishing: summer would slow down.
Enjoying: fresh summer fruit. Currently addicted to juicy watermelon.
Waiting: for the day the girls can learn to work out their own disagreements. Referee over here!
Marveling: that we have already lived here 7 months!
Needing: groceries on the double! Our milk is looking a little lonely this morning.
Smelling: thick summer air.
Wearing: a baby on my lap.
Following: the spilled oat trail left by two little girls. They love raw oats. So weird!
Noticing: how quickly new babies change.
Thinking: we should really get dressed for the day. Its practically noon.
Bookmarking: wallpaper inspo.
Feeling: hopeful.

At This Moment 1 // 2

Churro Ice Cream Sandwiches

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 19 Jul 2016 13:11:00 +0000

They say everyone has their vice, ours just happens to be ice cream.

Sandwich that ice cream between two warm homemade churros and you've got the perfect, melt-in-your-mouth, summer treat!

Today I'm sharing the recipe with Somewhat Simple. Find it HERE!

Surprise! It's a GIRL!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 07 Jul 2016 20:25:00 +0000

Laying in the OR as Tyson held my hand we both made our final guesses...

This pregnancy had been so different for me and as much as I tried to remain neutral, I couldn't keep from thinking my overgrown belly was home to a little baby boy. And yet when Tyson announced "It's a girl!" we instantly knew this sweet little girl was meant for us.

Now that she's here and we are learning to enjoy life with three, I hope to get back to documenting our simple little life here in New England and sharing our favorite recipes! XO

Six Months Later...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 20 Mar 2016 16:17:00 +0000

I am a planner by nature. Sometimes I love it, sometimes it frustrates me to my core. But the older I get, the more I realize that life just isn't conducive to a plan. And over the past six months, life seemed to just effortlessly evolve into something I had never planned for.

It all started with a positive pregnancy test that came sooner than expected, and a deeply personal trial and then ended with Tyson graduating and a new job that led us all the way across the country.

The past six months have held a lot of questioning, a lot of tears (dang hormones), and -- when I least expected it -- so much joy.

So here's to midday pregnancy cravings, new beginnings, abandoned plans, and finding joy in the journey.

Healthy Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 03:35:00 +0000

Today was the first day it started to feel like Fall around here. There was light rain all day so I stayed cuddled up inside with my babies wearing knit slippers and sipping on a warm cup of herbal tea.

These muffins are a perfect addition to any crisp fall morning. Lightly sweetened with maple and a touch of honey and packed full of pumpkin flavor these have quickly become a favorite at our house. And the best news? Those girls of mine devoured them!

Begin by mixing up your wet ingredients...

Then in a separate bowl toss together your dry ingredients.

And finally mix together that yummy streusel topping.

Divide the pumpkin batter between twelve muffin cups and sprinkle with your topping.

And bake that batter up into big beautiful muffins!

Healthy Pumpkin Streusel Muffins
Recipe adapted from: Whole Wheat Banana Bread Muffins
Streusel Topping from: Greens & Chocolate
Yield: 12

Batter
1/2 c. pure maple syrup
1/4 c. raw honey
2 large eggs
1 can puree pumpkin, 15oz
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. white whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 c. coconut oil, melted

Topping
1/4 c. rolled oats
1/2 c. white whole wheat flour
2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
2 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 12 cup muffin tin with nonstick spray and set aside.

In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine syrup, honey, eggs, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract. In a seperate bowl whisk together 2 cups of white whole wheat flour, the baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low, using a rubber spatula periodically to scrape the sides. Once all of the dry ingredients have been added, slowly pour in the coconut oil and mix until totally combined.

Divide the batter among the muffin tin, adding a heaping 1/4 cup of batter to each cup.

Next in a small bowl combine all the ingredients for the streusel topping. Evenly sprinkle over the batter.

Bake for 20 minutes and insert a toothpick into the center of the muffin. If the toothpick, when removed comes out clean the muffins are done, if there is still wet batter on the toothpick, leave the muffins in the oven for an additional 3-5 minutes, until cooked through. Enjoy!

Shared HERE.

July Bittersweets

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 07 Aug 2015 12:45:00 +0000

//BITTER

Missing Utah friends and family. Not having Tyson work from home. The terrible-twos making an early appearance. Sissy getting into every bottle of lotion, nail polish, and toothpaste possible. One word - humidity!

//SWEET

4th of July BBQ. Getting lots of time with the cousins, Sissy's first movie theater experience to see Inside Out. The girls singing "I'm So Glad When Daddy Comes Home" nonstop. Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars. Our trip to Palmyra to see the Hill Cumorah Pageant. Boating with the family. Big Sister "catching" her first fish! Splash pad fun with Nana. Banana Chocolate Chunk "Ice Cream." Lots of sunshine!

Banana Chocolate Chunk "Ice Cream"

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 21 Jul 2015 13:05:00 +0000

I have to laugh that I'm posting this recipe....

Because awhile back I was talking with my sister-in-law when she told me about a recipe she had found for healthy banana ice cream and the utter disappointment when she discovered the one and only ingredient in this ice cream was simply, bananas. "That's not ice cream my friend... that a frozen banana disguised as ice cream!"

Well I'm here to tell you that this too is an ice cream created by an impostor... a banana. But here's the magical thing - you toss that frozen banana in a food processor and it suddenly becomes soft serve!

Add some peanut butter and chocolate chunks and you have a delicious creamy treat worthy of the hottest summer day! I'm sharing the recipe over on Somewhat Simple! Find it HERE.

Shared HERE.

June Bittersweets

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 01:12:00 +0000

//BITTER
Packing and cleaning and cleaning and packing for our annual summer trip. Early morning flights.

//SWEET
Getting Nonprofit Prints up and running. Swim lessons for my big girl. Everyday spent playing with Penny, Ralphie, and their Mama outside. Trip to Gigi's house complete with lots of swimming. Gooey s'mores tortes. Tyson finishing another race in preparation for his 50 miler come September. An uneventful plane ride across the country with two little ones - seriously they did awesome! Reuniting with the cousins.

Cinnamon Pecan Granola

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 02 Jul 2015 14:13:00 +0000

Guys I think breakfast is well on its way to becoming my favorite meal of the day.

I'm not always a fan of nuts, but toss them in oats and cinnamon...

and coat them in coconut oil, honey, and maple syrup...

And I just might reconsider my devotion... or lack there of..

I could eat this granola all the day long. And the best part about this recipe?

I promise it will make your house smell ah-mazing!!

Cinnamon Pecan Granola
Recipe from: Shannon, I Knead to Bake

2 c. rolled oats
1/4 c. spelt flour
2 Tbsp. chia seeds
2 Tbsp. ground flax seed
2 Tbsp. almond flour
1/4 pecan halves, coarsely chopped
1/4 - 1/2 tsp sea salt, to taste
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 c. coconut oil, melted
3 Tbsp honey
1/3 pure maple syrup

Directions:
Begin by preheating your oven to 250 degrees F.

In a bowl toss together the rolled oats, flour, chia seeds, ground flax seed, pecans, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a separate bowl combine the melted coconut oil, honey, and pure maple syrup. Add the mixture of wet ingredients to the bowl of dry ingredient and stir with a rubber spatula.

Spread the mixture out as much as possible onto a large cookie sheet. Bake for 1 hour stirring every 20 minutes to ensure even baking. Once you remove the granola from the oven, do not stir until it has had time to cool, allowing larger granola clusters to form.

Serve with bananas or dried fruit if desired. Store in an airtight container. Enjoy!

Shared HERE.

Honey Whole Wheat Poppyseed Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 21:39:00 +0000

While we were in Maui we ate at this yummy restaurant right on the ocean called Mama's Fish House. EVERYONE told us we had to go, and let me tell you it did not disappoint.

At the start of our meal our wait staff brought out these miniatures loaves of warm wheat bread speckled with poppyseeds. Tyson and I gobbled them right up (as we do with all bread fresh from the oven) and vowed to make some of our own once we got home.

Start by getting that yeast going and then get your dry ingredients combined.

Once you have your initial dough all set, continue to add flour 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough hardly sticks to your finger. This is still too sticky...

You can also tell when your dough has enough flour when it begins to pull away from the sides of bowl.

Once its done, divide it up...

And let that yeast do its magic...

Bake them in the oven and brush them with some butter.

And enjoy!

Honey Whole Wheat Poppyseed Bread

Recipe adapted from: Whole Wheat Bread

Makes 4 mini loaves or 1 regular loaf

4 Tbsp. butter, divided
1/2 c. honey
2 cups warm water
1 Tbsp. + 3/4 tsp. dry active yeast
1 + 1/3 c. white whole wheat flour, measured correctly
2 + 2/3 c. whole wheat flour, measured correctly
1 + 1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp poppyseeds
6 Tbsp. vital wheat gluten

Directions: In the bowl of a stand mixer combine 3 tablespoons of melted butter, the honey, water and yeast. Gently give the mixture a few stirs to combine all of the ingredients and set aside for about 10 minutes, until foamy.

In a separate bowl combine the white wheat flour and 1 cup of the whole wheat flour along with the salt, poppyseeds, and wheat gluten.

Once the yeast has had enough time, slowly add the dry ingredients. Mix on medium using a dough hook until incorporated. Continue to mix and add the remaining whole wheat flour, about 1/2 a cup at a time until the dough begins to pull away from the edges of the bowl. Continue to knead for about 5 minutes until the dough is smooth.

Spray 4 mini loaf pans with nonstick spray. Evenly divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Shape in loaves and place into prepared pans. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Allow the dough to rise for 30 minutes. Bake for about 25 minutes or until the bread has reached an internal temperature of 190 degrees F.

Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter and brush the top of each loaf. Eat warm or allow bread to cool completely and store in a plastic bag.

Shared HERE.

Healthy Berry Syrup

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 16:49:00 +0000

Remember how I have a pancake obsession???

Well I decided if I was going to be eating pancakes obsessively that I better come up with a healthy topping alternative. I'm just not one of those people who can eat pancakes without coating them in delicious sticky syrup.

And while pure maple syrup is free of refined sugar... lets get real friends... it's still sugar, and that's how your body will metabolize it.

Luckily this recipe has only 81 calories and 14.5 grams of sugar per 1/4 cup, compared to the maple syrup alternative of 210 calories and 53 grams of sugar!

Make a big batch, store it in your fridge and let your pancakes lap up the strawberry-raspberry goodness.

Healthy Berry Syrup
Recipe from: Shannon, ikneadtobake
Makes 1+1/2 cups

2 cups strawberries, frozen
2 cups raspberries, frozen
1/4 cup pure maple syrup

Directions: In a saucepan heat berries, covered, over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the berries are thawed and soft.

Turn the heat up to medium and add the maple syrup and cook until the berries begin to break down, about 3 minutes stirring constantly.

Carefully add the hot mixture to a food processor or blender and pulse until you have reached your desired consistency. (I prefer the fruit to be mostly puréed with a few small pieces of whole fruit remaining.) Serve warm.

Syrup can be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge up to one week. It is recommended that you reheat only what you plan on using.

Shared HERE.

May Bittersweets

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 21:12:00 +0000

//BITTER
Saying goodbye to my girls for the first time ever, Expensive roadside coconuts, More than one recipe fail, Missing Tyson cross the finish line...again!

//SWEET
Maui! Endless airplane Downton Abby, Mama's Fish House, Reuniting with my babies, Recreating treats from our vacation. Joyschool graduation, Mother's day, Timp Trail 1/2 Marathon, And finally... Red Robin... I can never say no to Red Robin.

Mini S'mores Tortes

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 15:02:00 +0000

This week finally feels like Summer around here and I am drinking it in. Sunshine, swim lessons, and s'mores.

But not just any s'mores my friends. Over at our house we are devouring these mini s'mores tortes.

Crisp graham cracker and pecan crust, a cool, rich chocolate and coconut cream filling, topped off with a handful of warm, toasted mallows.

Perfect for Father's day, a warm summer evening with friends, or a midnight snack. :)

And today I'm sharing the recipe with Stephanie over on Somewhat Simple. Click HERE for the recipe!

Shared HERE.

The Gum Incident

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 29 May 2015 14:00:00 +0000

Because these kinds of childhood events must be documented.
The End.

P.S. The peanut butter worked like a charm.

Cinnamon Peanut Butter Vegan Protein Shake

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 23 May 2015 05:18:00 +0000

This shake is one of my favorite breakfasts for crazy mornings with even crazier toddlers.

Super simple -- toss everything in a blender, and with 20 grams of protein, its sure to keep you full.

Cinnamon Peanut Butter Vegan Protein Shake
Recipe from: Shannon, ikneadtobake

1 banana, frozen
1 c. almond milk
1 Tbsp. natural peanut butter
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c. plain soy protein powder

Directions: Add all ingredients to a blender. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a cup and enjoy! It doesn't get easier than that my friends.

Shared HERE.

At This Moment 02

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 17 May 2015 06:00:00 +0000

Making: family memories. Family movie night - check.
Drinking: in the smell of the rain.
Reading: Children of the Promise.
Wanting: to go snuggle with my babies.
Looking: through family photos.
Wasting: time daydreaming about a future home.
Wishing: that sweet baby will sleep through the night.
Enjoying: this stage in life.
Waiting: for answers.
Wondering: what will graduation bring; where will it take us?
Loving: XO via John Mayer ♥
Hoping: I am enough.
Marveling: at how much my baby has grown.
Needing: to finish the laundry.
Wearing: cozy sweats, no makeup, and messy hair.
Following: the chocolate chip trail left behind by my favorite three year old. Bribery at its finest.
Noticing: that my girls have been playing and giggling all day. Sisters are the best.
Knowing: I need to be more patient.
Thinking: about mothering.
Bookmarking: recipes. Always.
Feeling: ready for sleep.

Hawaiian Caramel Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 16 May 2015 22:49:00 +0000

While we were in Maui we had some ah-mazing food! Our last morning on the island we decided to pick up breakfast at a little restaurant just down the street from where we were staying.

Enter the toasted coconut, macadamia nut, caramel, chocolate chip banana bread muffin. It was heavenly and after that first delicious bite I knew we were going to have to recreate them once we got home.

Guys I don't even like coconut or macadamia nuts, but I sure loved these -- and what better way to bring home a taste of paradise! Missing Maui already....

Hawaiian Caramel Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
Recipe adapted from: Whole Wheat Banana Bread Muffins
Inspired by: Kihei Caffe
Makes 12-15 muffins

Batter
3 extra-ripe medium bananas, about 1 pound
1/2 c. coconut oil, melted
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 c. white whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. mini chocolate chips, plus extra for topping

Caramel
4 Tbsp. butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
2-3 Tbsp. milk

Toppings
1/2 c. unsweetened coconut, shredded
1/2 c. roasted salted macadamia nuts, chopped

Directions: Begin by heating a small pan over medium-high heat. In the pan toast the coconut until light golden brown. Set aside. In the same pan toast the macadamia nuts until golden brown in color. Set aside.

In a small saucepan melt the butter for the caramel over medium heat. Add brown sugar. Cook for about 1-2 minutes until slightly thickened, whisking constantly. While still whisking add the milk and cook for another 1-2 minutes until caramel is smooth. Immediately remove from heat and set aside.

Now preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 12 cup muffin tin and set aside. In a large bowl add bananas and mash them with a fork until pureed. Add coconut oil, brown sugar, honey, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk until all ingredients are incorporated. Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir until just combined. Finally fold in the mini chocolate chips.

Add 1/4 cup of batter for each muffin to prepared pan. Top with 3/4-1 teaspoon of toasted coconut and 1 teaspoon of macadamia nuts. Next, in the center of each muffin, add 1 teaspoon of prepared caramel. (The closer the caramel gets to the sides the more that will overflow when baking.) Finally divide remaining nuts and coconut evenly between each muffin and sprinkle on top of the caramel.

Bake for 20 minutes. Some caramel will most likely spread through the baking process. Once cooled, remove from the pan and enjoy!

Shared HERE.

Maui

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 11 May 2015 15:59:00 +0000

Last week Ty and I went on a little getaway to Maui. It was our first time leaving the girls and boy was I a mess, but luckily I was the only one...the girls had the time of their lives with their Gigi.

Tyson was dead set on watching the sunrise from the Haleakala Crater, a dormant volcano 10,000 feet above sea level. I was a little more skeptical since that meant waking up at 3am. But I have to say it was amazing--one of my favorite things we did from the entire trip.

After the sunrise we headed to the Kula Lodge for breakfast. It was delicious, but the best part was definitely the view. Once we finished breakfast we headed off to Hana. The road to Hana is a main attraction for a lot of tourists and it made for a very long day in the car, but we also got to see some amazing things. A black sand beach, tons of waterfalls, the seven sacred pools, and a hike through the bamboo forest.

The next morning we headed out on a catamaran for a snorkel trip out to Molokini Crater. I talked Tyson into trying snuba (a hybrid between snorkeling and scuba diving) and we got to see tons of fish, coral and sea turtles. That night we drove over to Paia for dinner at Mama's Fish House and let me tell you, it definitely lived up to its reputation, but my favorite that night was watching the sunset behind the ocean.

The remainder of our trip we spent eating amazing food, exploring, and relaxing on the beach.

Thanks Maui for an amazing week in Paradise.

April Bittersweets

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 06 May 2015 14:00:00 +0000

//BITTER
baby allergies, perpetual ear infections, late night study sessions, finals week, that wild customer service in park city, tummy aches.. again... will the sickness ever end!?

//SWEET
general conference, cinnamon rolls, homecomings and family gatherings, a visit from Nana, Papa, Studda, and Fry, new bedding... again, easter traditions, the cutest swimsuit I ever did see, park city outlets, mini cupcake guest posting, 3 year old prayers, middle of the night toddler snuggles, aeriel yoga, 3 year blogiversary, endlessly analyzing the Kassi love triangle, take out for dayzzz, new found canning obsession.

Rosemary Sea Salt Soft Butter Pretzels

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 01 May 2015 20:44:00 +0000

Guys can we please just talk for one second about where the time has gone?! I do not understand how my little monkey went from this to this....

Ugh! She kills me she's so cute! And she gets so excited to help me in the kitchen!

Soft pretzels are one of my all time favorite things to make with kids. It's like bread turned playdough. Cover them in sugar and cinnamon and those kiddos will love you for life.

But today we are going more the savory route. We didn't have any fresh rosemary on hand this time around but if you do, use it! You won't regret it!

Rosemary Sea Salt Soft Buttered Pretzels
Slightly adapted from: King Arthur Flour

Dough
1 c. warm water
2 1/4 tsp dry yeast
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. dried rosemary or 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary
2 - 2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

Topping
1 c. boiling water
2 Tbsp baking soda
2-3 Tbsp melted butter
sea salt

Directions: In a large bowl or stand mixer combine warm water, yeast, and sugar. Set aside for about 10 minutes until the mixture begins to foam. If your mixture does not foam, it is likely that your water was too hot and it killed the yeast, simply discard it and start again.

Next add salt, rosemary and 1 1/2 cups of flour. Mix until combined, Continue to add flour until dough is still very soft but just enough that it doesn't stick to your fingers. Knead by hand or in stand mixer for about 5 minutes.

Place dough in a large, lightly greased bowl and allow the dough to rise for 30 to 45 minutes.

Meanwhile bring 1 cup of water to a bowl. Remove from heat and immediately add baking soda. Stir until the baking soda has dissolved. Place the water in a 8x8 baking dish and set aside, allowing the water to cool.

Once the dough has had time to rise preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. and divide the dough into 8 equal pieces for small pretzels or 4-6 pieces for large pretzels. Roll each piece into a long thin rope and twist into a pretzel, or create another shape if desired. The rope can also be cut into smaller pieces for pretzel bites.

Next take your pretzel and carefully place it in the baking soda water bath for approximately 2 minutes. This will give the pretzel a nice golden crust.

Finally place pretzels on a parchment lined or lightly greased baking sheet. Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes and then bake for 8-9 minutes.

Once the pretzels are done baking coat liberally with melted butter and top with sea salt and enjoy!

Shared HERE.

The Motherhood Paradox

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 30 Apr 2015 05:09:00 +0000

Motherhood is everything I ever hoped for and not at all what I expected.

It brings out the absolute best in me and my very worst -- my greatest fears and my deepest insecurities. It is losing my temper when I desperately don't want to and laughter when I least expect it. In its highs and in its lows, it teaches me to rely completely on my Heavenly Father.

Motherhood is the hardest and most rewarding calling I will ever hold... all wrapped up in two precious girls who call me "Mama."

Inspired by: Anne with an "e"

That Week She Learned to Pray

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 24 Apr 2015 22:10:00 +0000

This week we had a little talk about prayers and what we can say in our prayers. Well let me just tell you... three year old prayers, so far? They are my fave.

She was getting in a memorized prayer mode of blessing the food... always, in all circumstances, whether there was food to be eaten or not. So we talked about what prayer really is and now her prayers have changed to something a little like this....

Dear Heavenly Father,
Please bless the..... wait! We not eating food!! Ummmmm.... Help me clean my toys and my books and I grow my hair to my bum and my legs and my feet! Thank you for Anna and Sven and Olaf and Kristoff and I love Anna and Elsa and Flynn. And thank you for Georgie. And Daddy he come home safe in his car and.... Mommy now what?!
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!

Oh how I wish I could keep her like this forever!

Chocolate Black Bean Brownies

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 23 Apr 2015 02:18:00 +0000

Things are about to get crazy up in here.

Trust me, I know how it sounds, but just take one bite and I promise you'd never guess these gooey chocolate treats are chocked full of black beans.

And also trust me when I say that you want to start by rinsing those puppies nice and clean. Extra-super-de-duper clean in fact.

In order to ensure that yummy brownie texture you'll want to track down a fine mesh strainer before you start.

Because these are going to be oh so much more delicious if you toss out those bean skins instead of baking them into your brownies.

Then all that's left is to add the rest of your ingredients to your food processor...

Fold in some mini chocolate chips...

Pour the batter into your pan...

And try not to eat the entire batch in one sitting.

But if you do... who cares right?! They're healthy... at least that's what I'm telling myself!

Chocolate Black Bean Brownies
Adapted slightly from: Chocolate Covered Katie
15 oz can black beans
1/2 c. pure maple syrup
1/2 c. quick oats
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
heaping 1/2 c. mini chocolate chips

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare an 8x8 baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside.

Begin by draining and thoroughly rising the beans. In a mini food processor, combine the rinsed beans and the pure maple syrup. Process until completely smooth. Place a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl. Add the bean mixture to the strainer. Using a rubber spatula work the beans through the strainer until all that is left is the bean skins, should be about 1/4 cup. Discard the bean skins.

Next add the bean mixture back into the food processor along with the remaining ingredients except the chocolate chips. Process until as smooth as possible. Fold the chocolate chips into the batter and then pour evenly into the prepared baking pan.

Bake for 17-18 minutes, they will look dry on the top. Cool for at least 10 minutes and then cut and serve.

...Or if you're feeling wild just grab a handful right out of the pan like this grabby-goose.

Shared HERE.

Homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 19:05:00 +0000

Happy Friday Friends! How about a simple chocolate peanut butter bar combo for your weekend? I vote yes!

I love quick and convenient snacks (especially the kind that involve a little something sweet) and I'm always looking for a sneaky way to get a little more protein in my diet since we don't eat a ton of meat. Insert the chocolate peanut butter protein bar.

These are super simple to throw together and you can store them in your fridge to eat to your heart's content.

Just don't skip out on that little splash of milk at the end like I did when we went to Moab. Or these babies will dry out like nobody's business.

And wanna know the best part? These are 100% whole grain, refined sugar free, and gluten free - if you buy certified gluten free oats. Plus you can easily make them vegan - if that's your jam!

Healthy chocolate peanut butter protein bars for the win!

Homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bars
Recipe from: Oh She Glows

1 + 1/2 c. rolled oats
1/2 c. plain protein powder (I used a soy based protein)
1/2 c. puffed rice cereal
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c. natural peanut butter
1/2 c. pure maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 - 1 tsp almond milk
3 Tbsp dark chocolate chips
1 + 1/2 tsp coconut oil

Directions: Line an 8x8 square baking dish with foil or parchment paper for easy removal.

In a blender or small food processor grind the oats until they resemble flour. In a large bowl stir together the ground oats, protein powder, rice cereal and salt. Add the peanut butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Mixture will be thick and somewhat dry. Add a splash of almond milk (1/2 -1 teaspoon as needed) and mix again.

Press the mixture into prepared pan and roll with a pastry roller until flat and smooth. (You may also use the back of a rubber spatula if a pastry roller is unavailable.) Place the pan in the freezer for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile add coconut oil and chocolate chips to a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir slowly until completely melted and remove from heat.

After freezing cut the oat mixture, remove from pan and cut into bars. Line a cookie sheet with a nonstick baking mat or parchment paper. Carefully place each bar onto the cookie sheet with a small space between each one.

Using a spoon drizzle the chocolate over the bars and place in the fridge to allow the chocolate to cool, about 20 minutes. Store in the fridge in an airtight container and enjoy!

Shared HERE.