Ari's Menu

Little changes making a big difference.


Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes

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Want to know what’s special about these cupcakes???

Well for one, they are my first batch that were ordered and SOLD! EEEEEK!!!!

Susan ordered them for her Niece’s graduation party, along with a bunch of candy cups to contribute to my fundraising goal!

So, confession: I was ridiculously nervous about this! Sure, I love to bake and share my recipes, and invite people over to help me not inhale 7 servings of my food enjoy my food with me, but am I really good enough for someone to pay for it??? I honestly still don’t even really consider myself a cook, or a baker, or much of anything, other than someone with a sweet tooth the size of Canada. This was a big and scary step! The good news? They came back to rave reviews!!

Everyone I know goes crazy over chocolate covered strawberries. Me? I don’t like strawberries. Not a bit. However, my taste tester said they were delicious, soft and fluffy with the perfect strawberry flavor. The perfect strawberry flavor for me would be not, but I kind of liked that because it meant I consumed way less batter during the process. The frosting…well that’s an other story. It’s my favorite.

You know what else? I took all of these photos myself! Check out my rude husband taking all the credit with his signature 😉 To be fair, he did help me get everything set up, but then it was all me! I’m learning, and I’m really enjoying getting better at the photography!

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes

yield approx 2 dozen

For the cupcakes:
adapted from Eat Live Run

  • 3 cups white whole wheat flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • dash salt
  • 1 1/3 cups pureed fresh strawberries (from about 2 cups whole strawberries—puree in a blender until smooth)
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • zest from one large lemon
  • 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 3/4 cup turbinado sugar
  • 1/2 cup egg substitute (or 3 more egg whites)
  • 4 egg whites
For the Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
barely adapted from How Sweet It Is
  • 3 x 8 oz blocks reduced fat cream cheese (you could also use fat free, I just had red fat on hand)
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 1/2 oz grain sweetened chocolate chips, melted and cooled
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • sprinkles for topping (optional)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 24 cupcake tins, and spray with nonstick spray.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together pureed strawberries, lemon zest, milk and vanilla. Also set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, beat together applesauce, sugar and egg substitute. Add egg whites one at a time, beating after each, until combined. Alternate between adding the dry ingredients and the wet strawberry ingredients to the sugar mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
  5. Evenly divide batter between prepared cupcake tins (I used a cookie scoop). Bake for 25-27 minutes or until golden, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer immediately to wire racks to cool completely.
  6. Meanwhile, in a large bowl , beat cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Add vanilla extract.
  7. Add in powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, beating on low speed, followed by cocoa powder.
  8. Increase to medium speed and add melted chocolate. Beat until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl often.
  9. Frost completely cooled cupcakes, then top with sprinkles if desired.

 

Thai Peanut Turkey Burgers

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So I’ve been really mad that it’s summer time. Lots of whining and complaining about the heat, and how it affects my running, and blah blah blah. But I forgot how much I LOVE some things about summer! Like burgers!

And swimming!

Tuesday evening, Jason came over with my dog niece and nephew, and we seriously had the best time playing around outside with the puppies. They got so hyped up about the pool!

Nico and Winston have a love connection. They will play for hours on end.

Every time Jason was in the pool and would make eye contact with Nico, she would immediately go crazy and start barking, and then all the other dogs would start going crazy too.

Clementine is hiding under the chair. She wants to play, but she’s scared. It’s hard to be a Clementine.

Anyway, before all the fun dog playing, there were seriously amazing, delicious burgers.

Made with extra lean ground turkey, and homemade Thai peanut sauce.

Savory and spicy, with just a hint of sweetness.

Have I ever mentioned how much I also love Thai food? Give me some take out Chicken Pad Thai with extra cilantro, and I am a happy girl. I used to eat it all the time because someone told me Thai food was healthy once. Now, I figure out my own ways to use the flavors that are actually healthy, and not 7 servings of noodles 😉

Also, if you are one of those people who loves a beef burger, and thinks turkey burger are dry and gross (ahem…Steve), try these turkey burgers. I haven’t always loved the ones I’ve made at home (why do they never seem to turn out like the one at Zin Burger??), but I absolutely freaking love these. Like I can’t wait to make them every day for the rest of the summer my life kind of love.

Thai Peanut Turkey Burgers

yield 5 servings

  • 20 oz ground turkey breast
  • 1 tbs egg substitute
  • 1/2 cup diced onion + more for topping
  • 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper + more for topping
  • 2 tbs chopped fresh cilantro + more for topping
  • 1 tbs peanut butter
  • 1 tbs Better’n Peanut Butter (or pb2, or more regular peanut butter)
  • 1 tbs reduced sodium soy sauce (use gluten-free is applicable)
  • 1 1/2-2 tsp chili paste
  • 1 tbs fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1/2-1 tbs Sriracha
  • 5 100% whole grain hamburger buns (whole wheat, brown rice, etc.), toasted
  • crushed peanuts, sliced scallions, and bean sprouts for topping

Directions:

  1. Preheat grill. In a large bowl, combine ground turkey breast, egg substitute, onion, bell pepper, and cilantro. Set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine peanut butter, Better’n Peanut Butter, soy sauce, chili paste, lime juice, and honey. Pour 2 tsp of sauce mixture into turkey mixture, and set the rest aside.
  3. Thoroughly combine turkey mixture and sauce (I recommend getting in there with your hands!), and form into 5 even patties. Press lightly in the center of each patty with your thumb, so they are slightly thicker on the edges to ensure even cooking.
  4. Send your husband outside to Grill until cooked throughout (approx 5 minutes per side). Meanwhile, add Greek yogurt and Sriracha to leftover peanut sauce, and mix until well combined.
  5. Place cooked patties on toasted wheat buns, then top with yogurt peanut sauce, crushed peanuts, sliced scallions, bean sprouts, and extra onions, bell peppers and cilantro.

Bacon Chocolate Chip Pancakes

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Yup.

.

That happened.

You guys…I don’t even know what to say. These should have had like a zillion calories. With the name, and the deliciousness, and the whole eating dessert for breakfast thing. But really, a little dark chocolate is good for us, yes?

Okay, so I’m not about to switch out my Greek yogurt, pumpkin puree, chopped apple weirdness and turn bacon chocolate chip pancakes into my staple breakfast, but on a Sunday morning? Hell, yes.

I’m really sad you weren’t here to share in the fun. Although, I bet Steve and Jason are not in the least bit sad, because it meant more pancakes for them.

Sweet, salty, fluffy, melt in your mouth pancakes that will satisfy every single breakfast craving you’ve ever experienced. And just a little hint: whole wheat pastry flour is the secret to perfect whole grain pancakes. Do not used regular. Do not use white whole wheat. And please, do not think you need to add in bleached out white flour.

Oh, and my final instructions: Save that middle section with the most chocolate for last. It will be the best bite.

Bacon Chocolate Chip Pancakes

yield 6 servings

  • 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • dash salt
  • 2 tsp sugar free maple syrup (or honey, agave, or pure maple syrup)
  • 1/2 cup egg substitute
  • 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 6 slices center cut or turkey bacon, cooked, chopped and cooled
  • 1/2 cup all natural dark chocolate chips

Directions:

  1.  In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Gently mix in syrup, egg substitute, milk, and vanilla, stirring until just combined. Then fold in cooked bacon and chocolate chips. Let stand for 10 minutes.
  2. Preheat a large pan over medium heat, and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Pour approx 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Cook until top forms small bubbles and bottom is golden brown. Flip and continue cooking until both sides are golden.
  3. Serve topped with any combination of Greek yogurt/syrup/light whipped butter

French Onion Pizza

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Trader Joe’s whole wheat pizza crust, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE?!?!?!

Why, yes, I would like some of the most delicious pizza ever made by me at home in about 20 minutes. Thanks for the help TJ’s!

So a couple of weeks ago I told Steve that I wanted to make french onion grilled cheese sandwiches. I was so excited about this brilliant idea. Obviously no one has ever done that before. Then the next day pretty much every popular food blogger out there stole my idea. Not cool, people. They clearly read my mind, and took my brilliance to claim as there own. Suffice it to say, I didn’t make those sandwiches.

Instead, I made pizza. Delicious, sweet oniony, garlicy pizza that I wanted to scarf down in one sitting. I seriously can’t believe it’s taken me this long to make my own pizza! I already have approximately 500 more pizza ideas that I want to create now. I may have a problem, but once you try it, you will see! You will be hooked, and there is no turning back!

French Onion Pizza

yield 6 servings

  • 1 package refrigerated whole wheat pizza dough (I used the Trader Joe’s kind, and would highly recommend it!)
  • 2 medium red onions, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 tbs + 1 tsp olive oil, divided
  • 3-4 tbs beef broth, divided (you could also sub veggie broth to make it vegetarian)
  • 1 tbs balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated part skim mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated gruyere cheese
  • freshly ground pepper

Directions:

  1. In a large pan over medium heat, cook onions and garlic in 1 tbs olive oil and 1 tbs beef broth. Season with pepper and cook until onions are browned and caramelized (about 15 minutes).
  2. Spray a medium cookie sheet with nonstick spray, then roll dough out using a rolling pin to fill out the sheet.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tsp olive oil, 2-3 tbs beef broth, and 1 tbs balsamic vinegar. Brush onto rolled out dough, then top with cooked onions and garlic, and cheeses. Top with extra ground pepper if desired.
  4. Cook according to instructions on the prepared pizza dough package.

Buffalo Chicken Meatloaf

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I am such a sucker for anything with buffalo sauce.

I guess I am just a person who loves strong flavors. Spicy food, sharp cheeses, anything really with bold flavors. I do not like plain pasta with olive oil. I am easily bored in life and food, so I need flavors that do a little performance for my taste buds. Is that weird?

Wait. Don’t answer that. I already know I’m weird. Anyway, I’ve never made meatloaf with chicken before. In fact, I’ve never even used ground chicken until now. It’s pretty awesome, and opens up a lot of flavor combinations! You know I love my ground turkey, but who ever heard of buffalo turkey? That doesn’t sound nearly as cool.

I made kale with it. I’m sure you’re shocked.

This meatloaf was full of bold buffalo flavor, and was different than any type I’ve ever tasted! I wonder just how many more foods I can put buffalo sauce in? 😉

Buffalo Chicken Meatloaf

yield 5 servings

  • 1 1/4 lb lean ground chicken
  • 1/2 cup egg substitute
  • 2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/4 cup buffalo sauce
  • 2/3 cup raw oats
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
  • generous pinch ground pepper

For the buffalo ranch sauce:

  • 2/3 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
  • 1/3 cup buffalo sauce
  • 2 tsp ranch seasoning

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400. Line a medium loaf pan with tin foil, and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together egg substitute, almond milk, buffalo sauce, and pepper. Mix in onion and oats.
  3. Add meat **this is the fun part!!** and use your hands to thoroughly combine.
  4. Transfer meet to prepared loaf pan and bake for 1 hour, until cooked throughout.
  5. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together all sauce ingredients.
  6. Serve meatloaf topped with buffalo ranch sauce.

Caramelized Onion Rosemary Biscuits

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Soft and fluffy whole grain biscuits stuffed with caramelized onions and fresh rosemary.

I remember when I was living with Heather in Moscow, and she made roasted garlic and rosemary bread. It was pretty amazing. So amazing that when I was deciding what type of bread to make for Mother’s Day to go along side my Skinnified Fettucine Alfredo, it was the first thing that came to mind.

Let’s talk about these biscuits, because I really cannot get enough of them. You would expect a 100% whole wheat biscuit to be dense and heavy, right? Well these babies were fluffy while still full of hearty wheat flavor.

Aren’t they pretty with butter? Honestly though, they don’t need any.

I would eat them in a boat. I would eat them with a goat.

I will eat them here or there. I will eat them anywhere! Yes, I just quoted Dr. Seuss. Don’t judge. Okay, but seriously, carmelized onions, sauteed garlic, and fresh rosemary? You can’t go wrong. These biscuits are full of flavor, and taste like the bread basket from a fancy Italian restaurant. My mom was super impressed. She kept calling them professional. Thanks mom! 😉

Print
Caramelized Onion Rosemary Biscuits

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 4 hours

Yield: 1 dozen

Serving Size: 1 biscuit

Caramelized Onion Rosemary Biscuits

Soft and fluffy whole grain biscuits stuffed with caramelized onions and fresh rosemary.

Ingredients

  • 1 large sweet onion, chopped
  • 2 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbs light whipped butter
  • 1 1/2 cup warm water
  • 3 tsp active dry yeast
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for coating bowl
  • 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
  • 2 cup white whole wheat flour
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • leaves from 2 sprigs rosemary, finely chopped
  • 1 egg white, lightly beaten

Instructions

  1. Sauté onions and minced garlic in the butter over medium heat. Cook until brown and caramelized, about 15 to 20 minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes.
  2. Pour warm water into a bowl. Sprinkle yeast on top. Add the honey and olive oil. Stir gently with a fork until combined. Set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine flours and salt. Add cooked and cooled onions, rosemary, and water mixture, stirring gently until dough is combined.
  4. Knead in stand mixer using hook attachment (or by hand 15-20 times on a floured surface) until bread sticks together on the hook when lifted.
  5. Spray a separate bowl generously with nonstick spray, then add your ball of dough, turning to coat. Cover with a towel and place in a warm spot for 1 1/2 to 2 hours (I put it outside--it's 105 in Phoenix).
  6. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Divide dough into twelve round biscuits. Place on a baking mat or parchment paper, then cover with a towel and allow to rise for 15 to 20 minutes. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until brown. Brush with beaten egg white halfway through.
https://arismenu.com/caramelized-onion-rosemary-biscuits/

 

Nonfat Brownie Batter Fro Yo

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Friends, it is getting hot in Phoenix. The high today is something gross like 105, and it’s only May. Not a fan.

Okay, let’s be honest for a second–I eat fro yo year round. It could be snowing and I would still want fro yo. In fact, no other dessert really satisfies my craving the way frozen yogurt or gelato does.

And when it’s hot outside, it is even more refreshing. I could eat frozen yogurt for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

In fact, today when I came back all hot and gross from my run, all I wanted to do was eat this for breakfast.

Remember when you were a kid and you had parents to tell you that you weren’t allowed to eat dessert for breakfast? That’s what I need. MOM LOOK! I am actually asking you to tell me what to do! That is a far stretch from my teenage years, right?

All I’m saying is watch out Yogurtology! You may have the best self serve in Phoenix, but I can also serve this myself, and it is creamy, chocolatey and also packs quite a bit of protein! HOW MUCH PROTEIN DOES YOUR YOGURT HAVE YOGURTOLOGY???? HMMMM???? Sorry, I love your yogurt, really. I just really love mine too 😉

Brownie Batter Fro Yo

adapted from my BBFF Nicole

  • 3 cups nonfat Greek yogurt (I used TJ’s vanilla bean)
  • 1/4 cup turbinado sugar
  • 2-3 tbs Splenda
  • 1/2 cup + 2 tbs No Pudge or Reduced Guilt brownie mix (or gluten-free brownie mix if desired)

Directions:

  1. In a medium bowl combine yogurt, sugar, Splenda and brownie mix, stirring together until well combined. Chill mixture in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
  2. Pour chilled mixture into the bowl of an ice cream maker and freeze according to the ice cream makers instructions.

Skinnified Sunday: Chicken & Waffles

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Oh, yes I did.

So, I had never even heard of eating chicken and waffles together, until my friend Ryan mentioned it a couple of years ago. I told him that was gross and that I would never ever eat that.

I’m a big fat liar. So as punishment, I washed my mouth out with huge forkfulls of chicken and waffles. Fair enough.

You know what? It really is freaking delicious. Somewhere along the lines of all my hating on the concept, I got intrigued. Kind of like how I developed my love for Justin Beiber. Yes, I love the Beibs. I understand if that makes you want to never come back, but I just can’t deny it! I’m not too worried though, I will keep you here with waffles. Chicken & Waffle.

Have I mentioned how much I lllooooovvvveeee sweet and savory combos? Almost as much as my love for sweet and salty. Sweet and spicy is good too. Basically I have the world’s biggest sweet tooth, and if I could make all my meals taste like dessert, I absolutely would.

And that, my friends, is why I give you these delicious, sweet, crispy on the outside, soft and cake-like on the inside waffles, topped with crispy faux fried chicken, and sweet maple syrup. AZ peeps, you don’t even have to go to LoLo’s!

Waffle recipe adapted from Bon Appetit. The chicken is just my version of “fried” chicken.

Original waffle recipe:

  • 2 cups peeled, 1/2″ cubes red-skinned sweet potatoes
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated peeled ginger
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 6 large egg whites, room temperature
  • Nonstick vegetable oil spray
My Swaps:
  • 1/2 recipe
  • Reduced fat buttermilk and unsweetened vanilla almond milk for whole milk (-fat, -calories)
  • Egg substitute for egg yolks (-fat, -calories, -cholesterol)
  • Sugar free maple syrup for some of the brown sugar (-sugar, -calories)
  • Butter (-fat, -calories, -saturated fat) <–usually I would replace with applesauce or yogurt, but I accidentally just completely missed that part while cooking it, and didn’t realize it until it came time to write up the recipe! Obviously was not super vital to the dish 🙂
  • Whole wheat pastry flour for all purpose (+fiber, +protein)
  • Pumpkin pie spice for ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg (+ease)
  • Added vanilla extract (+yum)
  • 1 (4 pound) chicken, cut into pieces
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour for coating
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 quarts vegetable oil for frying
My Swaps:
  • Chicken breast for whole chicken (-fat, -calories)
  • reduced fat buttermilk + egg whites for buttermilk (-fat, -calories)
  • Crushed cornflakes and panko for flour (+cruch, +yum)
  • vegetable oil (-fat, -calories, -saturated fat) <– 2 quarts?!?!?!

Skinnified Chicken & Waffles

yield 4-6 servings

For the waffles:

  • 1 medium sweet potato, roasted
  • 1/4 cup reduced fat buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 1/4 cup egg substitute
  • 1 tbs light brown sugar
  • 1 tbs sugar free maple syrup
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 3/4 cup + 2 tbs whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1/2 tbs baking powder
  • dash salt
  • 3 large egg whites, room temperature

For the chicken:

  • 3 chicken breasts, approx 8 oz each
  • 1 egg white, beaten
  • 1/4 cup reduced fat buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup crushed cornflake crumbs
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs

Directions:

  1. Pierce sweet potato several times with a fork, and roast at 400 degrees for 1 hour.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk egg white and buttermilk (for the chicken) together and set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine cornflake crumbs and panko.
  4. Place a wire cooling rack inside of a large baking sheet. Spray thoroughly with nonstick spray.
  5. Take chicken breasts one at a time through egg white/buttermilk wash, then coat with cornflake/panko combo, then transfer to prepared wire rack.
  6. When sweet potato has finished cooking, reduce oven heat to 375, and bake chicken for 40-45 minutes, until juices run clean.
  7. Meanwhile, peel sweet potato and remove of skin (or eat the skin, because it’s delicious). Transfer skinned sweet potato to a large bowl and beat with a hand mixer for 1-2 minutes.
  8. Beat in milks, eggs substitutebrown sugar, syrup, and pumpkin pie spice. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt, then beat dry ingredients into wet.
  9. In a medium bowl (yes, I was using pretty much every single mixing bowl in my house for this one), beat room temperature egg whites until stiff peaks form. You will need your beater/mixer on the highest setting, and it takes longer than you think.
  10. Fold in half of beaten egg whites to waffle batter. Then slowly fold in remaining half in two batches until just combined.
  11. Let the batter sit until the chicken is almost ready to come out of the oven. Then transfer batter in increments (depending on the size of your waffle iron–I generally use 1/2-2/3 cup per waffle) onto sprayed waffle iron. Cooking time will depend on the iron. Mine has a little light that goes off when they’re cooked.
  12. Transfer waffle to serving plate, top with 1/2 cooked chicken breast, and add light butter and syrup if desired.

Orange Chocolate Lava Cookies

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Have you ever had one of those big chocolate oranges? I always thought they were weird, but it turns out orange and chocolate together is brilliant and delicious. I guess those chocolate orange people were right all along 😉

Is it just me, or do things seem fancier when they have a filling? It’s pretty deceptive, really. These are just as easy to make as chocolate chip cookies, but it’s so much more fun to take a bite and have melty, gooey, rich chocolate surprise you in the middle.

Apparently this chocolate was too impatient, and couldn’t wait to be a surprise. Silly chocolate.

I love surprises. Poor Steve…I always tell him “I require a lot of surprises.” Whether it’s coffee, fro yo (my #1 fav surprise), or a note, it just makes me happy. 🙂

But ya know what I do not prefer? When someone tells you they have a surprise for you, and then refuses to tell you what it is!! What is that about? If you have a surprise, then just surprise me! Don’t tell me you’re going to surprise me! I can’t deal with not knowing things, people!

Clearly, I am the easiest person on Earth to be married to. I bet you’re all sad that you didn’t scoop me up first. Sorry guys. I know it sucks.

But seriously, I like to think that my baking at least slightly makes up for the fact that I’m kind of an obnoxious human being. I mean, I still have friends, so it must be the cookies.

This is where you compliment me, and tell me I have a personality that shines like a star, or something cheesey like that. Ready, go!

Okay, back to the cookies, because these cookies are ridiculous. Sweet, citrusy, chocolatey, tons of flavors and textures all fitting together to make up cookie heaven.

I’m on a bit of an orange dessert kick it seems. Which is funny, because I don’t even like actual oranges. Or orange juice. But I do like these…and also these.

 

Orange Chocolate Lava Cookies

  • 1 1/4 cups gluten-free baking blend (or white whole wheat flour)
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • dash salt
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tbs orange zest
  • 1/4 cup fat free cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup apple butter
  • 1 tbs fresh orange juice
  • 1 egg white
  • 4 oz dark chocolate (small squares or coarsely chopped)
For the glaze:
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1-2 tbs orange juice
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together baking blend, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl mix together sugar and orange zest. Then beat in cream cheese, apple butter, egg white, and orange juice until combined.
  4. Beat dry ingredients into wet until combined, scraping down sides of the bowl as necessary,
  5. Roll cookies into 1″ balls, then stuff with a 1/4 tsp size chunk of dark chocolate (eye ball it–you want to make sure it is bigger than a chocolate chip, but that the dough can still cover it completely). Re-roll into 1″ ball, making sure all chocolate is covered. Repeat with remaining dough.
  6. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden. Let stand for 3-5 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  7. Meanwhile, in a small-medium mixing bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and 1 tbs orange juice. Slowly continue to add more orange juice (and I mean very slowly. A little bit of liquid goes a long way with powdered sugar) until desired drippy consistency.
  8. Dip tops of completely cooled cookies into the glaze, then let stand to set on a flat surface.

 

Skinnified Sunday: Birthday Cake Donuts

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Okay, first of all I’m not sure if I’m supposed to spell it ‘doughnut’ or ‘donut’.

Donut has less letters, but doughnut sounds kind of fancy.

And I ask you this: How can there be two correct spellings of the same word???? My type A brain can’t handle it.

Anyway, I made do(ugh)nuts! Fancy, sprinkly, festive, birthday cake do(ugh)nuts!

Yes, sprinkly is a word. It’s a synonym for fancy.

I found a super easy, and already light-ish recipe for cake doughnuts from All Recipes that I only had to slightly modify to get a pretty darn healthy, delicious, and festive looking do(ugh)nut.

My Swaps:

  • ½ recipe (-temptation, the last thing I need is a dozen donuts sitting around)
  • white whole wheat flour for all-purpose (+protein, +fiber)
  • turbinado sugar/Splenda combo for white sugar (-sugar, -calories, and using all natural turbinado sugar makes me feel a little better about the Splenda—it’s all about balance, right?)
  • all cinnamon for cinnamon and nutmeg (personal preference)
  • unsweetened vanilla almond milk for regular (-fat, -calories, -sugar)
  • egg substitute for whole egg (-fat, -saturated fat, -calories, -cholesterol)
  • extra vanilla (I just really like it)
  • light whipped butter for shortening (-fat, -saturated fat, -trans fat, -calories)

Birthday Cake Donuts

Yield 6 donuts

Yes, I like it spelled donuts. 😉

  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour
  • ¼ cup + 2 tbsp turbinado sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • pinch cinnamon
  • dash salt
  • ¼ cup + 2 tbs unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • ¼ cup egg substitute
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tbs light whipped butter, softened

For the glaze:

  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • dash almond extract
  • 1-2 tbs hot water
  • sprinkles for topping (optional)

**Note: If you are in the anti Splenda club, just user all turbinado sugar. We don’t need to get hateful about it 😉

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 325. Spray a donut pan with nonstick spray, and set aside.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, Splenda and cinnamon.
  3. Using a hand mixer, beat in all remaining ngredients (excluding those for the glaze) until just combined.
  4. Transfer batter to a plastic freezer bag, and cut a small hole in the corner.
  5. Evenly divide batter between 6 donut forms.
  6. Bake for 8-10 minutes, then let stand for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  7. Meanwhile, in a small-medium mixing bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, almond extract and 1 tbs hot water. Slowly continue to add more water (and I mean very slowly. A little bit of liquid goes a long way with powdered sugar) until desired drippy consistency.
  8. Dip tops of donuts into the glaze, then let stand on a flat surface. Top with sprinkles if desired.

White Chocolate Peanut Butter S’mores Sandwich Cookies

· by ·

So the other day, Steve surprised me by picking me up fro yo. Yes, he’s awesome, but that is beside the point. The point is, he topped my fro yo with peanut butter and marshmallow sauce, and it was freaking delicious. As I was eating it, I couldn’t help, but think of what a perfect combination those flavors were.

I started coming up with all sorts of desserts that I could combine those flavors in.

My incredible friend Stacey has this really important weekend coming up. She has a very special birthday, she is running her first half marathon, and she has some other big life accomplishments going on. It’s pretty amazing, you should head over to her blog and congratulate her! As my congratulations, I made her these cookies, obviously. She loves white chocolate, so that was the final piece in these delicious treats.

Ummm, yeah. Marshmallow, peanut butter and white chocolate is actually the perfect combination. Oh, and graham cracker cookie. Yes.Please.

 

Happy Weekend Of Amazingness, Stace!! I’m proud of you, and I’m sure these cookies will be your perfect pre-race fuel!

White Chocolate Peanut Butter S’more Sandwich Cookies

yield 14 sandwich cookies

For the cookies:

  • 6 tbs fat free cream cheese, softened
  • 6 tbs honey apple butter
  • 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup Splenda
  • 1/4 cup egg substitute
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour
  • 1 sleeve whole wheat graham crackers, finely crushed
  • dash salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda

For the filling:

  • 1 cup all natural white chocolate chips
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/3 cup marshmallow fluff
  • 1-2 tbs unsweetened almond milk’
  • approx 1/3 cup peanut butter (I suggest PB & Co White Chocolate Wonderful)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Beat cream cheese and apple butter together in a large bowl. Add brown sugar and Splenda, and beat until fluffy.
  3. Beat in vanilla, egg substitute, and baking soda.
  4. Add flour and graham cracker crumbs and beat until just combined.
  5. Use a cookie scoop (or your hands) to drop dough in about tablespoon amounts.  Flatten dough out with a sprayed piece of parchment paper, until approx 1/4″ thick.
  6. Bake 8-10 minutes until just set, then remove and let stand 5-10 minutes to finish baking themselves, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  7. While cookies cool, melt white chocolate chips in a medium bowl in the microwave at 30 seconds increments, stirring after each, until melted. Stir in vanilla and marshmallow fluff. Add 1-2 tbs almond milk until slightly thinned and creamy.
  8. Spread white chocolate marshmallow sauce evenly over  the flat side of half of your cookies. Spread the other half with 1 tsp peanut butter. Sandwich together, and serve.

Brulee’d Butterscotch Banana Cream Pie

· by ·

Can you believe up until a few days ago, I had never actually made a pie? Ever since the holidays, Hermano has been asking me to make pie, and for his birthday he requested a “caramelized banana cream pie”. Quite a request. Not exactly what you’d expect from a teenage boy, but whatev. I was thinking about how I wanted to make this thing happen, when I got the brilliant idea to add something I’ve had my eye on to my kitchen for this creation. Say hello to my new friend!

You see, I’m still living off the Williams Sonoma gift cards/exchanges we received from our wedding. Instead of buying a million things I may not use all at once, I’ve been saving it, and that way any time I do want to add a kitchen gadget, I can just go purchase it without having to feel guilty about my poor bank account. Side note: life in performing arts is not conducive to a Williams Sonoma habit. I know, you’re shocked and appalled.

Here is an other picture of pie to ease the pain of knowing that fun jobs make no money. Such is life, my friends.

Anyway, more about this pie. It’s actually really simple. You may have thought I would find the pudding pie route unacceptable for a special occasion, but I heard several people swear by it, and now I see why! It was ridiculously easy, and the taste was spot on!

You see what my new BFF Torchie is doing there? Yes, I name my tools. Every time I refer to my Garmin as “Garmi”, it is not a typo, it’s a nick name. You can tell all of my nicknames are very original, creative, and intuitively thought out.

LOOK AT THAT!!!! Doesn’t it make you want one??? I am going to brulee so many things, just you wait! I have plans, people. Big plans.

But for now, just enjoy this delicious flavor combination of banana, butterscotch, cinnamon and vanilla, because it is kind of like a piece of heaven.

We were all about the action shots that day! Flying cinnamon chips! They are magical.

 

Brulee’d Butterscotch Banana Cream Pie

yield 10 servings

  • 1 1/2 cups low fat ‘Nilla Wafers, finely crushed
  • 1/2 extra ripe medium banana, pureed
  • 3  medium bananas
  • 1 package fat free, sugar free butterscotch pudding mix
  • 1 3/4 cup skim milk
  • dash almond extract
  • 1 cup cinnamon cool whip
  • 1-2 tbs turbinado sugar
  • 1-2 tbs cinnamon or butterscotch chips for topping (optional)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. Reserve 1 tbs of crushed ‘Nilla Wafers and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine remaining cookie crumbs with pureed banana. I recommend using your hands.
  3. Press banana/cookie crust into bottom and along the sides of a 10″ pie dish. Bake for 10 minutes, then cool on wire rack.
  4. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine pudding mix with milk, and almond extract, beating for about 2 minutes.
  5. Thinly slice 2 of the 3 bananas on top of cooled crust, spacing evenly. Poor pudding over top of bananas.
  6. Gently spread cool whip over pudding. Wrap dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate 5-6 hours.
  7. When pie is thoroughly cooled, thinly slice remaining banana on top, then sprinkle sugar over banana slices.
  8. Using a brulee torch, heat all coated banana slices until a crisped, dark sugar layer forms on top.
  9. Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs and cinnamon or butterscotch chips.
  10. Return to refrigerator and cool for 1-2 hours.

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