Mix it Up

Chocolate Cookie Cake

2013-05-23T03:30:00.000-04:00

If I being completely honest, this cake could have gone really wrong.

I made it at night, which is sort of weird for me because usually all my baking takes place in the afternoon.. You know, when I should be doing other important stuff. But anyway, everything was going well. The batter tasted good, the oven was preheated, all that jazz. I was rushing to get it in the oven a little bit because the rest of my family was about to start a movie and I didn't want to miss out.

So I spread the batter into a pan, popped it in the oven, set the microwave timer and plopped down onto the living room couch.

You can probably tell where this is going, but I like telling stories so I'm going to continue. During some part of the movie (no doubt one that was quite loud), the timer I had set beeped its annoying beep. Only this time it was slightly less annoying because I managed not to hear it.

Some 50 minutes later my mom casually asked "Is that cake still in the oven?". This spurred a full out freak out on my part in which I burst out of my chair and sprinted to the kitchen. Pulling this Chocolate Cookie Cake out of the oven, I was convinced that it was ruined. Luckily, I was wrong.

Later when I cut into this cake I realized that it wasn't even burnt. Perhaps a bit overdone, but nothing I couldn't eat. So that's what I did. I served myself a big old piece, and after devouring it, concluded that if this thing could taste good after I forgot about it in the oven, then it would taste absolutely amazing when actually cooked the right amount.

Enjoy guys! Just don't watch a movie while you bake it...

Chocolate Cookie Cake

1 can white beans
3/4 cup applesauce
1 ripe banana
1 1/4 cup rolled oats
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tbsp melted coconut oil
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F. Drain and rinse beans very well. Add beans, and every other ingredient except chocolate chips to bowl of food processor. Blend until oats have broken down and a thick batter has formed. Add chocolate chips to food processor and process quickly to break down and combine. Scoop batter into a greased 9in pan and spread into an even layer. Bake for 40-45 minutes (and don't watch a movie!). Serves 8-12.

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Chocolate Chip Banana Cookie Pie

Recipe ReDux - Blueberry Yogurt Breakfast (or Brunch) Cake

2013-05-21T06:40:00.000-04:00

Who likes greek yogurt?

I like greek yogurt. In fact, I would even go as far as saying that I love greek yogurt. So, with that information in mind, can you imagine how excited I was when Chobani offered to send me some yogurt to bake with?

Very, very excited.

Little did I know, the nice people at Chobani weren't just planning to send me some yogurt, they sent me six whole tubs!

I was swimming in yogurt (and partly still am). I decided I needed to get baking, and soon. And what better way to make a dent in my yogurt supply than using it to make this months Recipe Redux recipe?

The theme this month was healthier brunch dishes, and I'll be honest and say I know practically nothing about brunch. It's not really something we take part in often at my house, so I was pretty clueless about what exactly to make. The yogurt spurred my creativity though, and soon I knew I wanted to make a light cake.

The result was a delicious Blueberry Yogurt Cake that's healthy enough for breakfast or brunch, but tasty enough for dessert too. It uses only oat flour as well, so providing you use gluten free oats, the cake is also gluten free!

Now, to figure out how to use all the rest of my yogurt!

Blueberry Yogurt Breakfast Cake

1 cup oat flour (you can make your own by grinding rolled oats to a fine flour in a coffee grinder or blender)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp ground flaxseed
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/3 cup date paste (there's a good tutorial on how to make it here)
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup vanilla greek yogurt (I used Chobani)
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 tbsp melted coconut oil
1 cup frozen blueberries

Frosting:

1/4 cup frozen blueberries, thawed
1/4 vanilla greek yogurt (again I used Chobani)

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix together. In another bowl, mix together date paste, vanilla, yogurt, buttermilk, and oil. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until a smooth batter forms. Gently fold in 1 cup frozen blueberries. Line an 8in square pan with parchment paper, and pour batter in. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a tootpick inserted comes out clean.

To make frosting, thaw 1/4 cup blueberries in a small bowl. Add yogurt and mix until incorporated. Spread or drizzle frosting on top of baked cake. Cut into 16 slices and serve. Store any leftovers in fridge.

Israeli Couscous with Asparagus and Snap Peas

2013-05-18T15:33:00.001-04:00

Spring means flowers blooming, lots of sunshine, and a whole lot of asparagus.

Since it came into season, I've tried asparagus in nearly every way known to man. We've done sandwiches, pizza, pasta, roasted, and finally an Israeli Couscous Salad.

It was all delicious, but my favorite would have to be the recipe I'm sharing today. It's absolutely fantastic.

Let's talk about Israeli Couscous.

Have you ever tried it? It's not like small and beady North African Couscous (the normal kind), but instead is a bit for substancial with more of pasta mouthfeel. We love it at my house.

But, it is possible to make it better. And cheese, preserved lemon, and lots of veggies are how ya do it. You're gonna love this thing. I just know it.

Israeli Couscous with Asparagus and Snap Peas

2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/3 cups Israeli couscous (6 to 7 ounces)
1 3/4 cups (or more) vegetable broth
14 ounces slender asparagus spears, trimmed, cut into about 1 inch pieces
8 ounces sugar snap peas (you can trim them if you like, but I didn't)
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add couscous and sauté until most of couscous is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add broth, increase heat, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until liquid is absorbed and couscous is soft, about 10 minutes. Add more broth if needed. In another saucepan, heat another 1 tbsp of oil. Add asparagus, snap peas, onion, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and saute until tender, but still a bit crisp. It should take about 5 minutes. Add vegetables to pan with cooked couscous (with heat still on). Mix together. Add cheese and cook until cheese is melted. Serve and enjoy!

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Minty Tabbouleh

Salted Dark Chocolate Cookies

2013-05-16T03:30:00.000-04:00

Salted Chocolate. It's my favorite.

Well, if we're being honest plain old chocolate is my favorite. I'll gladly eat that any day. But, if you reallllly wanna win me over, salted chocolate is that way to go.

Salted chocolate fudge, cookies, brownies, cake... I want it all!

So it's about time I made something with that beloved combination. I experimented with it a bit with my Salted Chocolate Mousse Pie, but these cookies were the first baked good I set out to make Salted Chocolate.

And they turned out so, so, so, so good!

These thick and almost cake-like cookies are rich and full of deep chocolate flavor. The sprinkle of salt on top is the perfect accent to the dark chocolate and makes the cookies 10x better in an instant.

I'm not embarrassed to say that I ate three.

Salted Dark Chocolate Cookies

3/4 cup spelt flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder (use good quality!)
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt (use a bit more if using unsalted nut butter) + more for sprinkling
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp peanut butter or other nut butter of choice
1/4 cup milk + 1 tbsp

Mix together dry ingredients (only 1/8 tsp salt) in a large bowl. Add nut butter to another bowl. Microwave quickly until drippy. Add remaining wet ingredients to bowl and mix. Add wet to dry and mix until a thick and sticky dough forms. Chill dough in fridge for thirty minutes. After this time it should be more manageable. Preheat oven to 350F. Roll about 1 tsp of dough into a ball and flatten into a cookie shape. Place on a lined baking sheet. Repeat until all dough has been used. Bake for 5-7 minutes, until puffy. Sprinkle with salt just before serving. If you're not serving immediately, store in an airtight container. Makes about 15 cookies.

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Double Chocolate Cookies

Chocolate Cookie Dough

2013-05-14T03:30:00.000-04:00

What do you get when you combine chocolate and cookie dough?

Only the most delicious brownie and cookie hybrid you've ever tasted. I give you, Chocolate Cookie Dough!

I've been playing around with this idea for a while now. At first it was a brownie batter dip, but that version ended up in the trash. Time for a change of plans!

I decided to simply take my Healthy Cookie Dough recipe and make it chocolate. It worked like charm!

This Chocolate Cookie Dough has the thick texture of cookie dough, but the chocolate taste of a brownie. The taste is very similar to an unbaked version of these cookies minus the caramel and oats.

It's super good and disappeared within 24 hours at my house.

Chocolate Cookie Dough
(based on this recipe)

1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3 tbsp milk
2 tbsp applesauce
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 dates
1 tbsp honey
1/3 cup chocolate chips

Combine all ingredients but chocolate chips in the bowl of a food processor. Blend until a thick mixture has formed. Make sure there are no chickpea clumps. This could take a bit, so keep blending until you get there. Add chocolate chips and process until broken into small pieces. Transfer cookie dough to desired serving dish and store in fridge. Recipe makes about 1 1/4 cups. See below for ideas on how to use it.

You can use this Chocolate Cookie Dough any way you would use the normal cookie dough. Top cupcakes with it, make it into whoopie pie filling, eat it by the spoonful. For a cute and fun dessert, you can roll a bit up into little balls like in the above picture.

Enjoy!

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Chocolate Banana Cake

(P.S. Life's getting pretty busy, so posts may get a bit less frequent. Sorry about that! I still plan on posting as much as possible though.)

Strawberry Banana "Bread" Cake

2013-05-12T06:52:00.000-04:00

Do you see the strawberries on the cake? They're fresh!

After waiting practically all winter for fresh berries they're finally, finally back. And don't cost an absurd amount at that.

What better way to celebrate than cake?

In all honesty, this may not be the cake you're expecting.

Instead of a fluffy texture and a light crumb, this cake is dense and ultra moist. Think of banana bread turned cake with a ton of strawberries thrown in. Sounds pretty good, right?

Trust me, it totally is.

Ok, and more thing. A cake that has the texture of banana bread = a cake that's 100% OK to eat for breakfast. And that is certainly a cake that everyone is going to love.

Is it just me or do desserts taste 10x better before 8am?

Strawberry Banana "Bread" Cake

1 cup spelt flour (all purpose is OK too)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsap salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp ground flax
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup yogurt (greek, coconut, etc)
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 ripe banana, mashed
1 1/4 cup strawberries, chopped + 2-3 more for slicing on top of cake

Preheat oven to 350F. In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients. In another bowl, mashe banana. Add applesauce, yogurt, milk, honey, balsamic, and vanilla to bowl with banana. Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix until a smooth batter forms. Mix in chopped strawberries. Pour batter into a greased 8 or 9 in circle pan. Thinly slice 2-3 strawberries and place on top of batter. Bake in preheated oven for 30-34 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Slice into 8-12 slices and serve with more strawberries or whipped cream.

Have a great Mother's Day everyone!

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Strawberry Cake - a more classic and fluffy version of this cake

Salted Cookie Crust Mousse Pie

2013-05-10T03:30:00.000-04:00

This.

This is amazing.

This is creamy and chocolatey and rich and decadent and just a bit salty and heavenly.

And oh my god, it's incredible.

I strongly encourage you quintuple the recipe and then eat every single piece yourself. You should probably also lock your doors so nobody can sneak in when you're not looking. Some booby-trapping may be necessary as well.

What can I say? You'll want as much of this to yourself as possible.

This extremely delicious thing I'm talking about is a Salted Cookie Crust Mousse Pie. Doesn't it just sound amazing already?

Let me just warn you, this is an over-the-top dessert, but I mean that in the best of ways. If you're looking to show someone that healthy does not mean yuck, then this is seriously your recipe. It's a creamy, salted chocolate mousse filling, on top of a chocolate chip cookie crust. Yummmm....

Salted Cookie Crust Mousse Pie
Crust:

1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
2 tbsp honey
1/2 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp brown sugar or turbinado sugar
1 tbsp ground flax
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Mousse:

230 grams silken tofu (I use the shelf stable type which can be found at trader joes or online)
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup chocolate chips, melted
1 1/2 tbsp milk
1 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp salt + more sea salt for sprinkling on top

For Crust:

Preheat oven to 350F.
Combine all ingredients except chocolate chips in the bowl of a food processor. Blend until oats have broken down and mixture is like a thin cookie dough.
Add chocolate chips and process until they're broken into small pieces.
Grease a 9 inch circle pan. Pour crust mixture into pan and spread into a thin layer.
Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes.

For Mousse:

Rinse out food processor and dry. You don't have to completely wash it.
Combine tofu, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, milk, honey, and 1/4 tsp salt in food processor. Blend until completely smooth and creamy.
Pour mousse mixture over baked cookie crust. Spread into an even layer.
Chill in the fridge for at least 8 hours, until mousse has set. Right before serving, sprinkle a bit of sea salt on top and slice into 8-10 slices. Store leftovers in fridge.

Promise me you'll do everything in your power so that you'll be able to try this delicious dessert. If you need tofu, go buy some (they have it at Trader Joes), if you don't have access to an oven, take a trip to your friends house(sharing it with them after is optional), if you're a mom and don't feel like cooking for Mother's day, beg for your husband or child to make it for you (it's worth it).

Speaking of Mother's Day, I'm making my mom a fruit crumble. Are you going to make something?

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Single Serving Bread Pudding - Mother's day breakfast, anyone?

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

2013-05-07T03:30:00.000-04:00

I feel bad for raisins.

No one likes them, they're always ignored, and the cookies with them in them are probably the least liked cookies in the whole world.

Poor raisins.

Well, I am not a raisin hater. I actually really like raisins, and happily eat them by the handful. Or in cookies. Cookies are good too.

Guess what?

I made all of my fellow raisin lovers some cookies! They're healthy, yummy, and filled with plump raisins. I love them and I know you will too.

Seriously guys, give those poor little raisins a chance. You can't go wrong with a cookie!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

1 cup oat flour (make your own: grind oats in a blender or coffee grinder until they form a flour texture, measure after grinding)
1 cup quick oats (make your own: quickly break up rolled oats in a food processor or blender.
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp sakt
2 tbsp ground flax
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup milk
1 tbsp coconut oil
3/4 cup raisins (if you like, you can plump them)

Preheat oven to 350F.
MIx together dry ingredients in a large bowl.
In another bowl, mix together all wet ingredients.
Add wet to dry and mix until a wet dough forms. Mix in raisins.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat. Form dough into cookie shapes on the pan.
Bake for 8 minutes. Let cool a bit before removing from pan and moving to cooling rack to cool completely. Recipe makes about 20 cookies.

Just because I know it's a question in many of your minds, yes, it's ok to use chocolate chips too. But I encourage you to use raisins!! They're actually really tasty.

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Pumpkin Raisin Baked Oatmeal

Healthy Oreo Cookies

2013-05-05T15:27:00.000-04:00

I was the Oreo kid.

Every lunchtime at school, my friends would eagerly gather around my lunch box. Inside was sure to be a ziplock bag full of the classic Oreo cookie.

I'm not even kidding when I say that I had at least five Oreos every single day, and usually a couple more. Not so healthy, huh?

Well, when your in third grade healthy isn't exactly at the top of your, or your friends', list.

I loved the daily cookies, and Im sure the people I shared them with weren't about the complain either. However, looking back on it, it probably would have been much better had I brought one or two of these Healthy Oreo Cookies to lunch.

These, my friends, are a healthier take on the Classic Oreo Cookie.

I'm not going to tell you they taste exactly like the real thing, because honestly, they don't. In my opinion they taste even better.

With a deep, dark Chocolate Cookie on the outside, and a creamy Vanilla Filling (that is very similar to the frosting here) on the inside, these cookies are sure to be devoured in an instant.

I only wish I could go back in time and bake some for the third grade me.

Healthy Oreo Cookies
Cookie:

1/2 cup spelt flour
1/4 cup dutch processed cocoa powder (normal cocoa will work as well)
1/4 tsp baking soda
large pinch salt (don't skip this, the salt helps to inhance the chocolate)
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp honey or agave
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
2 tbsp milk

Filling:

scant 1/2 cup greek yogurt
1 ripe banana
1/2 tsp vnailla extract

For Cookies:

Whisk together dry ingredients in a large bowl.
In another bowl, mix together all wet ingredients.
Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until a ball of dough forms (this could take some time). It may be sticky.
Chill dough in fridge for at least 30 minutes, but longer is OK too.
Preheat oven to 300F. Remove dough from fridge.
Using a rolling pin, or large cup, roll the dough into a thin layer. Don't worry about it being too thin, because the dough will rise a bit in the oven.
Use a circle cookie cutter, or the cap of something (I used the cap of an old container of cinnamon; anything works), to cut out small circles of dough. Roll out the dough and cut out circles for as long as needed, until all the dough has been used.
Place circles of dough on a parchment paper or silpat lined baking sheet. Bake 7-10 minutes. Let cool a bit before removing from pan.

For Filling:

Combine all ingredients in a food processor (a blender may work, but I haven't tried it)
Blend until completely smooth and creamy. The texture should resemble that of a normal oreo cookie filling.
Spread filling on a cooled cookie and top with another cookie. You msy have some filling left over. Recipe makes around 1 dozen cookie sanwiches (that's 2 cookies + filling), but amount may vary depending in cookie size. Store cookies in fridge.

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Kit Kat Oatmeal Cookies

Fluffy Chocolate Donuts

2013-05-02T09:22:00.002-04:00

These are the fluffiest fat free donuts you will ever try. I can promise you that.

Sometimes fat free baked goods are known for being gummy and dense. No one wants to eat something like that. It's like eating a brick!

Today I'm proving once and for all that fat free does not mean gummy. When done right, a fat free donut can be even better than a normal one. It sounds crazy, but it's true. Proof = these donuts.

I swear these Chocolate Donuts are just as good, if not better, than anything you can pick up at the chain store down the street. They're light, they're fluffy, and they're completely delicious, all without one little teaspoon of butter, oil, or margarine.

I don't follow a low fat diet, but I find it pretty incredible.

And these guys are super easy too. You need two bowls, a spatula, a donut pan and that's all. No frying required! In fact, you don't really need a donut pan at all. A muffin tin will work just fine.

Oh, and one more quick thing. I decided to be nice this time and not throw in any weirdo ingredients. That means no beans, no cauliflower, and no tofu. You may already have everything you need to make these in the house.

I'm honestly not sure why you're still reading this. Skip right in down to the recipe folks, if you've got any common sense at all.

Fluffy Chocolate Donuts

½ cup pumpkin puree
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
¼ cup honey (if you like things extra sweet, feel free to ude a bit more and reduce milk accordingly)
¼ cup buttermilk
¼ tsp. vanilla
¼ cup milk
2 Tbs. ground flaxseed
½ Tbs. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1 Tbs. cornstarch
¼ cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup spelt flour

Preheat oven to 375F
In a small bowl mix together all the wet ingredients.
In another larger bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
Add wet ingredients to the dry, and mix until just incorporated. Do not overmix.
Scoop donuts into a greased donut pan.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Makes about 18 mini-donuts, but number will vary depending on the size of your pan.

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Apple Cinnamon Bread

Mousse Coated Cookie Dough Balls

2013-04-30T03:30:00.000-04:00

I combined two of my favorite things to make these:

Cookie Dough and Chocolate Mousse

I hope those are some of your favorite things too.

I assume they will be though because, let's be honest, who doesn't like cookie dough and chocolate mousse? Certainly not anyone I know!

Oh man, you are so going to love these.

Mousse Coated Cookie Dough Balls

3/4 - 1 cup Healthy Cookie Dough (I used the no food processor version)
90 grams silken tofu
2 tbsp cocoa powder
pinch salt
1/2 tbsp milk
1/2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp chocolate chips, melted

Roll Cookie Dough into small balls. Set aside.
Combine all remaining ingredients in a blender (a small food processor may work as well). Blend until completely smooth.
Transfer mixture in blender/mousse to a small bowl. Dip cookie dough balls in until fully coated.
Place on a parchment paper line baking sheet. Freeze until mousse has hardened.
Before serving, let thaw a couple minutes, or microwave quickly. Recipe makes about 12 balls.

Sorry for such a quick post (and some pictures that definitely aren't my best). There isn't much to say about these guys except that they're absolutely delicious.

And with the weather warming up, isn't it great to have some no-bake dessert ideas? I definitely think so. So just make these. That is all.

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Pumpkin Chocolate Mousse Pie

Chocolate Chip Blondies

2013-04-28T03:30:00.000-04:00

So what's up? How's your weekend going?

Mine's going pretty good... probably cause I just ate one of the best blondies of my life.

It was gooey and chocolatey and super thick and I loved it. And then I remember that it was actually somewhat healthy. And I was like, whaaaat? Because that blondie really didn't taste healthy.

Like, at all.

And then I realized that those blondies I made were really making my weekend awesome. And that they could even make a Monday awesome. Serious Blondie power right there.

So then I decided that I should really share the awesome recipe with you all. And then I figured out that I was really not in the mood for quality writing. So I just threw some words together and managed to use the word "and" no less than ten times. No really, I counted.

Sorry about that guys. This recipe will make up for it, though.

Chocolate Chip Blondies

1 cup spelt flour (all purpose is ok too)
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 1/2 tbsp sugar (brown, white, turbinado, etc)
170 grams tofu
1/2 cup applesauce
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp date paste (this can be replaced with honey or maple syrup)
1/3 cup milk
2/3 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F.
Mix together dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Place all wet ingredients in a blender and blend until completely smooth and creamy.
Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until a smooth batter forms. Fold in chocolate chips.
Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper. Scoop batter into pan and spread into an even layer.
Bake for 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Let cool completely before slicing into 16 squares.

Despite my awful writing skills in this post, you really have to make these. They're amazing x100!

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Mousse Frosted Chocolate Chip Cake

Extra Fudgy Brownies

2013-04-26T03:30:00.000-04:00

I love brownies. I've got an abundance of brownie recipes on this blog. Without even looking, I bet I have no less than ten different ones.

When it comes down to it, that's probably too many.

I'm a blogger. I'm supposed to have favorite recipes that I keep coming back to and making new variations of. Like adding caramel to my favorite cookie recipe or adding vanilla beans to my favorite cupcake.

The thing is, I have a bit of trouble finding that favorite recipe.

These Extra Fudgy Brownies are no exception. I wouldn't say they're my absolute favorite brownie recipe (I'm not sure I'll ever find one like that), but they do rank high on the list. Expecially for the fudgy factor.

Imagine the fudgiest brownie yuo've ever had, and then imagine it underbaked a bit. That is what I'm talking about. If you don't like cakey brownies, these are perfect for you!

Extra Fudgy Brownies

1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup spelt flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp instant coffee
1/3 cup sugar (you may want more than this, taste batter to check)
1/2 cup plain yogurt (can use a vegan version)
2/3 cup + 2 tbsp pumpkin (applesauce will probably work as well, but I have not tried)
1/3 cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp coconut or vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350F. Mix together dry ingredients (cocoa, flours, baking powder, cornstarch, salt, instant coffee, and sugar) in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients (yogurt, pumpkin, milk, vanilla, and oil) to bowl and mix again. A thick batter should form. Taste batter to see if more sugar is needed. If so, add by the tablespoon until desired sweetness is reached. Grease and 8x8 square pan well, and scoop batter in. Spread into an even layer. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes. Chill at least 2 hours before cutting into 16 squares (brownies are very rich, so you only need a small piece). Brownies sweeten after one day.

This is a stick-to-the-roof-of-your-mouth brownie. And I love it!

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Nutella Swirl Banana Muffins

2013-04-24T03:30:00.000-04:00

I found another way to eat Nutella for breakfast.

Saying of the Day:

When Breakfast gets boring, just add Nutella.

Seriously guys, it's true.

When, a couple of days ago, I felt as though my breakfasts were getting a bit boring, I used some of my delicious Date Sweetened Nutella to whip up a batch of Banana Muffins with a Nutella swirl. Ummm, yum.

Boring breakfast no more!

And... just to make things even awesomer (because that's totally a word), these muffins are also:

sweetened only with fruit
vegan (when using vegan yogurt)
whole wheat
super easy
can be frozen for quick breakfasts

I think I know what you'll be baking tomorrow!

Nutella Swirl Banana Muffins

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup spelt flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp ground flax
2 ripe bananas
1/3 cup plain yogurt (greek, vegan, etc)
1/2 cup milk
3 tbsp date paste
1/4 cup Date Sweetened Nutella or regular Nutella

Preheat oven to 350F. Place dry ingredients in a large bowl, and mix together. In another bowl, mash bananas. Add yogurt, milk, and date paste. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until a smooth batter forms. Scoop batter into lined muffin tins until about 3/4 cup full. Add a dollop of Nutella and swirl a bit. Bake for 15 minutes. Store in airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze to laste longer. Recipe makes 10 muffins.

Muffin + Banana + Nutella = Best Day Ever!

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Not Your Average Blueberry Muffins

The Blog's First Birthday! Let's Celebrate with Cake!

2013-04-22T03:30:00.000-04:00

I can't believe it. I've been doing this blogging thing for one whole year.

On this very day of 2012, I decided I wanted to start doing this. I baked my first recipe from scratch, took pictures of it all on my own, and posted it onto the blog I had just created. Let me just say, one of the best decisions of my life.

Over the past year, I feel I've grown so much in so many ways. I think my writing is stronger, my photography is stronger (though these pictures aren't quite my best), I'm happier, and I'm much healthier. And I can't forget the part about how baking/cooking has truly become a part of my life.

To celebrate this awesome day, I've tackled one of the creations that started my healthy baking journey: A Chocolate Beet Layer Cake (I talked about it a bit here).

I tried this cake first in California and fell in love with it. It's been my goal since then to recreate it, and I think I've finally done it.

I give you the richest, fudgiest, most delicious, healthy Chocolate Layer Cake you have ever had.

Chocolate Beet Layer Cake
(makes 1 2-layer 8" cake)

400g raw beets, peeled and cut into thin slices (I used a mandolin for this)
3/4 cup applesauce
1/3 cup date paste (detailed instructions on making this can be found here)
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup egg whites
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup spelt flour (all purpose should also work)
1 tbsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot
1/2 cup extra/special dark cocoa powder (I used this kind)
1 recipe of Chocolate Banana Frosting (when on the cake, the banana taste is not very prominent)

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine beets, applesauce, date paste, buttermilk, egg whites and vanilla in the bowl of food processor. Process until completely mixed and smooth. In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients. Add beet mixture to dry ingredients and mix until combined. Pour batter equally between two 8" circle pans (you may have some extra batter, use it to make cupcakes!). Bake for 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cakes cool before removing from pan. Place one cake on a large plate, and spread a thin layer of frosting on the top. Top with the other cake and spread remaining frosting all around. If desired, top with some mini chocolate chips like I did. Store cake in fridge. Recipe makes 8-12 slices.

I can't thank you guys (my readers) enough for everything you've done to keep this blog going. Every time you tell me you liked a recipe, leave a sweet comment, or even as much as visit a page, it puts a smile on my face.

Thank you so much for everything!

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Sweet Potato Beet Cake

Recipe ReDux - Chocolate Cupcakes with Cookie Dough Frosting.

2013-04-21T03:30:00.000-04:00

Is it just me or did April fly by?

I swear, it felt like I was reading the new Recipe ReDux theme just yesterday. Maybe it's because this months theme was finally in my comfort zone again?

That's right, today we are back to desserts! Thank god!

To quote the Recipe ReDux people, this months theme cantered around "The Cupcake Conundrum". Our job was to to do one of the following: "If you think cupcakes never go out of style, show us your most delicious 'ReDux-ed' mini-cake creation. Or if you're in the camp that cupcakes have been a bit overdone, share your favorite hand-held dessert destined to be the next big trend"

Well, I don't know about you, but in my mind cupcakes never get old. Especially when there's cookie dough involved!

This was by far the easiest Recipe ReDux theme yet. As soon as I read the theme, I knew just what to do.

It was Cookie Dough Frosting time!

I made a simple chocolate cupcake in my mini muffin pan, and then used a big scoop of my Healthy Cookie Dough recipe to frost them. Delicious!

If you want a cute + healthier dessert for a party, your family, or just for you to hog, this is your recipe! They. Are. So. Adorable!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Cookie Dough Frosting
Cupcakes:

2 1/2 tbsp ground flax
7 1/2 tbsp water
2/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup applesauce
1/4 cup honey (note that these cupcakes are not super sweet, if you like things on the sweeter side, add a bit more honey and reduce milk accordingly)
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp milk

Frosting:

3/4 - 1 cup Healthy Cookie Dough (you can make this up to 2 days ahead of time) (for vegan cupcakes make vegan version of cookie dough)

Preheat oven to 350F. In a small bowl, mix together flax and water. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. Add in applesauce, honey, vanilla, milk, and flax/water mixture. Mix until a smooth batter forms. Scoop batter into greased mini muffin tins and bake for 10 minutes. Let cool before removing from pan and frosting with a big (around a heaping 1/2 tbsp) scoop of (premade) Healthy Cookie Dough. Recipe makes 18-20 cupcakes.

The cupcake trend is so not over. Now with these little guys around!

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Food Processor Chocolate Cupcakes

Spicy Roasted Pineapple Sweet Potatoes

2013-04-18T03:30:00.000-04:00

What do I make that doesn't contain chocolate?

Well, to be quite honest, not much. My mom takes care of most of the actual cooking in the house. I'm bake dessert, she makes dinner. That's just the way it is.

But sometimes it's good to switch things up.

I made this sweet potato dish all by myself. I didn't look at any recipes, didn't ask Mom for help, and didn't burn the house down either. Oh yeah, and it tasted really good too.

Success.

Spicy Roasted Pineapple Sweet Potatoes

3 large/5 small sweet potatoes
1 20 oz can pineapple chunks in pineapple juice (no sugar added)
1/4 cup pineapple juice, taken from can
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp cayenne (if you like things really spicy you can add more)

Preheat oven to 400F. Peel and chop sweet potatoes. Remove pineapple chunks from can, making sure not to discard the juice in the can. Place sweet potatoes and pineapple chunks on a baking sheet. Add pineapple juice (from can), olive oil, and cayenne on top. Toss to coat. Bake for 30 minutes, until potatoes are fork tender. Remove from oven to toss every 10 minutes while then roast. Serves 4 as a side dish/

My whole family gobbled these potatoes + pineapple chunks up. It's a simple, but incredibly delicious dish. Enjoy!

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Cinnamon Sweet Potato Chips

Chocolate Chip Banana Cookie Pie

2013-04-16T03:30:00.000-04:00

You get two chocolate and banana recipes in a row.

Lucky you.

This recipe is one that I consider practically perfect. It is so good, and you should not under any circumstances miss out on it.

For that reason, I'm going to ask you a favor. Could you just through all doubts you have out of the window? Pretend that you're totally ok with every crazy ingredient in this cookie pie? Yeah? Thank you.

So, like I said, this is amazing. It's really as simple as that.

A slice of this pie is like biting into an extra gooey, extra thick, slightly underbaked cookie. If you can, grab a piece right out of the oven. You won't be sorry!

And it's mighty good for you too, at least for a dessert. With cauliflower and beans hidden inside, it's almost like eating lunch! Well, sorta.

Just listen when I say you cannot afford to skip making this Cookie Pie. It's seriously incredible.

Chocolate Chip Banana Cookie Pie

1 1/4 cup rolled oats or quick oats
1/4 cup applesauce
1 14oz can white beans (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2-4 tbsp turbinado or brown sugar (depends on sweetness of banana, taste better to check)
1/2 large, ripe banana
1/2 tbsp coconut oil (or vegetable oil)
2 cups frozen cauliflower, thawed
3/4 cup chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine all ingredients except chocolate in food processor. Blend until completely smooth. You don't want any cauliflower or bean chunks. Taste mixture to find desired sweetness, keeping in mind there will be chocolate as well. Mix in chocolate chunks/chips until incorporated. Scoop dough into a greased 9 inch round pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Wait a couple minutes before removing from pan or slicing. Serve warm or cold.

You know what to do. Get baking!

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Cake

Chocolate Banana Cake

2013-04-14T03:30:00.000-04:00

This cake is the product of brown bananas and not wanting to make banana bread.

I like to hoard bananas at my house. I buy a big bunch and then won't let anyone eat a single one until they're also browned and yucky so I can make them into something delicious.

Usually I stick to banana bread, but the day I made this cake I was in the mood for something else.

So then I used chocolate and banana to make a really really good cake. And then I made a frosting too, just because.

And then... I took a bite. Woah.

Let me tell you, this is crazy good. The cake turned out 100x better than I hoped, and the frosting just put things over the top. Oh, how I wish I had a piece now.

There are some bananas browning on the counter now, though. I think I know what I'll be making!

Chocolate Banana Cake
Cake:

3/4 cup spelt flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp ground flax
1 1/3 cup frozen cauliflower, thawed
2/3 cup milk
1/2 banana
1/3 cup applesauce
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips or chopped normal chocolate chips

Frosting:

1 ripe banana
1/3 cup plain yogurt (Greek, coconut, etc) (use dairy free for vegan)
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp chocolate chips, melted

For Cake:

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 8x8 square pan
Mix together dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and flax) in a large bowl.
Combine cauliflower, milk, banana, applesauce, maple syrup, and vanilla in the bowl of a food processor. Blend until completely smooth.
Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until a smooth batter forms. Mix in chocolate chips.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes.

For Frosting:

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. It's OK to use the same one as before without completely washing it. Just rinse everything off and let it dry.
Blend until mixture is smooth. It may look too thin, but it's will firm up when it chills.
Pour frosting over baked cake, and spread around evenly.
Place in fridge for at least 2 hours, until frosting hardens. When frosting is firm, cut into 16 squares, and serve.

What's your favorite thing to make with brown bananas?

How about...

Good O'l Banana Bread? Or maybe some Chocolate Banana Cups? Ooooh, what about frosting? That's always good!

Caramelized Onions and Bacon Mashed Cauliflower

2013-04-12T03:30:00.000-04:00

Go read that title again. It's a title worth reading twice.

Did you read it? Did you take it all in? Did you realize that today I'm giving you a recipe with Caramelized Onions, Bacon, and the texture + taste of Mashed Potatoes?

C'mon now, that's like everything good in life!

And... this recipe is also low carb, pretty healthy, super easy, and (I'm pretty sure it's) paleo. I'm still a bit fuzzy on the rules for that one.

But no matter if it's paleo or not, this is one of the best things you'll have tasted in a while. It's healthy comfort food at it's absolute best.

Caramelized Onions and Bacon Mashed Cauliflower

1 head cauliflower
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 slice bacon, cooked until crispy and chopped
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
salt + pepper, to taste

Chop cauliflower into florets and place in a casserole dish. Cover about 1/4 of the way with water and microwave for 5-7 minutes (in 1-2 minutes rounds), until fork tender. If you prefer, you can also steam the cauliflower. Transfer cooked cauliflower to a food processor. Process until a mashed potato consistency is reached. Add garlic powder and vinegar and process until incorporated. Caramelize onion in a small saucepan (if you don't know how to caramelize an onion, see here). Add the onion to food processor along with bacon and parsley. Process again to mix everything together. Scoop mashed cauliflower into desired serving dish, and season with salt and pepper. Please note that this recipe makes only 2 servings. If you want more, feel free to double or even triple the recipe.

Make this and I can almost guarantee your day will improve. For real.

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Peanut Butter Granola

2013-04-10T03:30:00.000-04:00

So here's the thing, peanut butter is sort of my new obsession. And by obsession, I mean OBSESSION.

I bought this two pound jar of it like two weeks ago, and then when I tried to dig out a spoonful yesterday I found it empty. What? That's a pound of peanut butter a week! I swear that's not good for me, even with the healthy fats.

So anyway, I decided something needed to be done. And then I decided that "something being done" includes using the new jar of peanut butter I got to make a recipe thing so that instead of eating the peanut butter straight from the jar, I would eat it at least in a civilized way.

I gathered my ingredients, measured out some peanut butter, mixed everything together, and made some awesome Peanut Butter Granola. I put it in a jar, took some pictures, ate a handful or two, and then proceeded to dig my finger into the peanut butter jar and shove it into my mouth.

Well, so much for being civilized. At least the granola was good.

Peanut Butter Granola
(see note below)

2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups puffed kamut
1/3 cup salted natural peanut butter (of you don't have salted, just add some salt)
2 tbsp chia seeds
1/3 cup applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp peanut flour or PB2
2 tbsp milk
1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 350F. In a large bowl, combine oats and kamut. Set aside. Place peanut butter in another bowl and microwave until drippy. Add chia seeds, applesauce, vanilla, cinnamon, peanut flour/PB2, and milk. Mix together. Add wet ingredients mixture to oats and kamut measured in bowl, and mix. Mixture will be dry. Add water and mix again until all dry ingredients have been coated. Spread granola onto a lined baking sheet ad break into clumps. Bake for 15 minutes, remove from oven and toss, then bake another 10 minutes. Let cool a couple minutes then transfer to an airtight container. Makes about 3 cups.

Note: This granola is not a sweet one. If you prefer to have sweet granola, add some honey or agave, and reduce water accordingly.

Who else has a peanut butter obsession?

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Peanut Butter Cookie Sandwiches

Cookie Dough Whoopie Pies

2013-04-08T03:30:00.000-04:00

I just put Cookie Dough in your Whoopie Pie. You can thank me later.

Question:

What do you do when you've made six batches of Cookie Dough and find that your family won't eat another spoonful?

Answer:

~~Eat it all yourself.~~ Make freakishly good Whoopie Pies so your family gets jealous and begs for a bite.

Yes, I really was faced with the situation above. Though there's no doubt my family loves my Cookie Dough recipe, after having it literally five times in a row, they refused to eat another bite.

But then I turned the leftovers into a Whoopie Pie filling and, just like that, problem solved.

Whoopie Pies have always been some of my most successful recipes and this Cookie Dough variation is no exception. Rich chocolate cake, with creamy cookie dough sandwiched in the middle. Everyone in the house gobbled these up in less than one day.

They really are that good.

Cookie Dough Whoopie Pies
Cake:
• ¼ cup soy, almond, or low fat milk
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• ½ cup spelt flour
• ¼ cup cocoa powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• pinch salt
• ¼ cup applesauce
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 ½ tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp water
Filling:
• about ½ cup Healthy Cookie Dough (can be made ahead of time)
• 2 ½ tbsp soy, almond, or low fat milk

Preheat oven to 350F. Mix together ¼ cup milk and vinegar in a small bowl. Set aside. In a large bowl, mix together all dry ingredients for cake. Add milk mixture, applesauce, vanilla, maple syrup, and water, and mix again until a smooth batter forms. Use a teaspoon measure to drop circles of batter onto a parchment paper or Silpat lined baking sheet. Bake for 6-7 minutes, until batter has set. Place ingredients for filling in a bowl, and mix together until mixture is spreadable and smooth. Spread a layer of Cookie Dough filling on top of each baked cake, and top with another cake. Store whoopie pies in fridge.

Please believe me when I say that these are one of the best desserts I've ever made. You don't want to miss out!

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Maple Yogurt Filling

Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

2013-04-06T03:30:00.000-04:00

Today I give you the fudgiest, most decadent brownies I've ever made. You're gonna want to cut the squares small because these guys are rich.

It seems like everyone has been making Peanut Butter Swirled Brownies lately. Let me tell you, there's a good reason. They are so so so so good. Trust me on this one.

There's something about a dense chocolate brownie swirled with sticky peanut butter that's really just amazing.

Despite how incredibly decadent these brownies taste, they're still much healthier than your typical brownie. I made them without melted chocolate, oil, or butter. I promise you can barely tell, though.

Also, this is one of the easiest brownie recipes you find. It's made entirely in a food processor!

So please tell me you're going to make these. After all, there is chocolate and peanut butter. I'm not sure I know anyone who can resist that!

Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

1 cup rolled oats or quick oats
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup silken tofu
1 banana
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp brown or turbinado sugar
1/2 tsp instant coffee
1/4 cup natural peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350F. Place oats in food processor and process until ground into a flour. Add all ingredients except peanut butter to food processor and process until a thick batter forms. Make sure everything is well incorporated. Spread better evenly into a greased 8x8 pan. Place peanut butter in a small bowl, and microwave 15-20 seconds, (time may vary) until drippy. Drizzle peanut butter over brownie batter and use a knife to swirl. Bake for 12-15 minutes, then chill at least 2 hourse before cutting brownies into 16 squares. Store in fridge.

Here are some other peanut butter swirled brownies floating around the blog world:

From Dashing Dish
From Texanerin Baking (these are gluten free!)
From Butter Baking
From Sally's Baking Addiction (another healthy recipe)

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Peanut Butter Chocolate Fudge Bites

Date Cinnamon Rolls

2013-04-04T03:30:00.000-04:00

Cinnamon rolls used to be my favorite. As in, more than chocolate cake, more than candy bars, and more than just about any other dessert you can think of.

It was partly about the smell, partly about the taste, and a whole lot about the ooey gooey filling and the super soft, fluffy bread. And those times when you get to eat it while it's still warm? Don't even get me started!

A little while ago, I decided it was high time for me to create a "health-ified" Cinnamon Roll recipe. After some rising, some kneading, and ~~some~~ a lot of eating, I knew I had created a winning dish.

First of all though, I want to make it clear that this recipe will not yield a classic Cinnamon Roll. Instead, this recipe will yield a Cinnamon Roll that's low fat, low sugar, and actually acceptable for breakfast. A Date Cinnamon Roll, if you will.

The filling for these guys is 100% butter and oil free. The yummy gooey-ness that still remains is because of the maple syrup and dates used. Yummm...

The bread part of these rolls is part whole wheat and all delicious. I will admit it's a bit denser than you may be used to, but this isn't a bad thing at all. It actually makes the rolls a ton more filling!

If you don't believe me, just give the recipe a try for yourself. It may look complicated, but I promise it's much easier than it sounds.

Date Cinnamon Rolls
Bread:

1 cup milk
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp lukewarm water
1 tbsp dry active yeast
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cup spelt flour

Filling:

6 dates, pitted
2 tbsp soaking liquid (see below for clarification)
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp milk
optional: 1 tsp orange zest

Instructions:

Stir together milk, oil, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan and heat to lukewarm.
Place lukewarm water in a small bowl and pour yeast on top. Let sit 5 minutes.
Stir yeast/water mixture into lukewarm milk mixture. Transfer to a large bowl.
Beat in half of flour (you can start with whole wheat or spelt) with an electric mixer or by hand. Continue adding flour until a soft dough forms. You may not use the entire amount of flour listed above.
Let dough rest 10 minutes before kneading well. After kneading, let rest another 10 minutes.
Grease a large bowl, place dough inside, and cover with a damp cloth. Allow dough to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Turn dough onto a floured surface and roll into a 12inx10in rectangle.
Place dates in small bowl. Cover with water, and let sit at least 5 minutes. Transfer dates to another bowl, but don't get rid of soaking liquid because you will use some as part of the filling.
Add remaining filling ingredients to bowl with dates. Fork mash until mixture is mostly smooth and spreadable.
Spread filling evenly onto rolled out dough. Roll up tightly like a jelly roll and slice into 12 pieces.
Place each slice in a greased 9 in round pan. Cover and let rise another hour.
Preheat oven to 350F. Bake 25-30 minutes, until slightly browned. If possible, serve while still warm. Recipe makes 12 Cinnamon Rolls.

Sunday morning breakfast? Sounds great to me!

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Date Sweetened Nutella

Healthy Cookie Dough!!

2013-04-02T03:30:00.000-04:00

Why yes, that would be a gigantic bowl of cookie dough. A gigantic bowl of healthy cookie dough to be exact.

I'll admit I shared a recipe pretty similar to this a couple days ago, but I just couldn't wait any longer to post this Cookie Dough. It it way too good not to share!

This Healthy Cookie Dough is great for everyone. No matter how you prefer to eat (vegan, gluten free, nut free, etc), I bet you can tweak the recipe you fit your style. You can also make it without any special equipment, which is great because I know some of you don't have a fancy shmancy food processor or Vitamix.

I've tried the recipe in three ways so far, and every one has been a success!

So what do you need to make this?

If you stock your house at all like I do, you have every ingredient you need on hand already. The recipe consists of rolled oats, applesauce, an egg white or milk, baking soda, vanilla, dates or sugar, turbinado sugar, chocolate chips, and chickpeas. Yep, more chickpeas.

Like the Blondie Bites I shared earlier, I really wish I didn't have to tell you that. I know some people get creeped out by weirdo ingredients, but I'm telling you, just give this Cookie Dough a chance! All the chickpeas do is lend an awesome cookie dough texture, you can't taste them.

So now that that's settled, how about I mention how incredibly amazing it is that there's a way to eat raw cookie dough by the spoonful without any guilt whatsoever? Cause I think it's pretty amazing.

I've made this recipe so much lately, and it's always gone super fast. Everyone loves cookie dough, especially when it's this good for you. And there may have been some cupcakes, whoopie pies, and mousse involved, but that's a story for another day.

Enjoy!

Healthy Cookie Dough (vegan, gluten free, nut free, low fat)

1 cup quick oats (regular oats will work if you have a food processor)
1 pasteurized egg white or 3 tbsp soy or almond milk (the egg white helps to lend a more cookie dough like taste, but it's fine to not use it)
2 tbsp applesauce
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained very well
2 tbsp turbinado or brown sugar
3 dates, pitted and broken into small pieces or 1-3 tbsp more sugar (taste for desired sweetness)
1/3 cup chocolate chips

If you have a food processor:

Place oats in food processor and process until broken into small pieces (it doesn't have to be a fine flour).
Add remaining ingredients, except chocolate chips, and blend until completely combined, with no clumps of chickpeas. Mixture will be very thick.
Add chocolate chips to food processor and process a bit to incorporate, and break chocolate chips down into small pieces.
Scoop cookie dough into desired serving dish and store in fridge until serving time. Serve with fruit, graham crackers, or roll cookie dough into balls. You can also eat it as is by the spoonful. Recipe makes about 1 1/4 cups.

If you don't have a food processor:

Place chickpeas in a large bowl. Fork mash until all chickpeas are broken down and no large clumps remain
Add in oats (you must use quick oats or you will end up with an oatmeal cookie dough). Mix until thoroughly combined.
Add remaining ingredients except chocolate chips and mix well until a cookie dough texture forms. Note that if you decide to use dates, you may have to chop them into small pieces and mix them in.
Place chocolate chips in a plastic bag, and smash with a spoon/mallet/hammer (this is the best part!) until broken into small pieces. Alternately, you can use mini chocolate chips. Mix chips into cookie dough.
Scoop dough into desired serving dish and store in fridge until serving time. Serve with everything mentioned in step #4 above.

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Date Caramel + Caramel Chocolate Cookies