Ari's Menu

Little changes making a big difference.


Blueberry Muffin Oatmeal Cookies

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I have a lot of ideas floating around in this crazy head of mine. Sometimes I think I get too caught up in looking up other people’s recipes and basing my own off that, but I’m trying to just come up with things off the top of my head more and trust that they will be good. I mean, with baking, I always use someone else’s base recipe to make sure the science is right, but the rest of this one is all me. And, they were a hit!

You’d think after Thanksgiving, I’d be totally over baking, but not me! Yesterday, I wanted to test out a couple recipe ideas for the blogger cookie swap. I made 2 totally different batches. I can’t share the recipe for the batch I will be sending yet, but I do have recipe #2 for you!

Blueberry Muffin Oatmeal Cookies

yield 50-60 cookies

  • 1/4 cup light whipped butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup fat free cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
  • 2 tbs sugar free maple syrup
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup reduced fat buttermilk
  • 1  cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • pinch salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 1/4 cups oats
  • 1 cup marshmallows
  • 3/4 cup fresh blueberries
  • 3/4 cup grain sweetened white chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp coconut extract

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350. Cream together butter, cream cheese, sugar, syrup and extracts. Add egg and buttermilk.
  2. In a separate bowl (unless you’re me and like to skip this step and dump everything into the same bowl) combine flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and pumpkin pie spice.
  3. Slowly, beat dry mixture into wet mixture.
  4. Fold in oats.
  5. Gently fold in white chocolate chips, marshmallows and blueberries.
  6. Roll into one inch balls and drop on greased cookie sheet.
  7. Bake for 10-14 minutes until tops are just set and slightly golden (mine baked for 12 min).
  8. Cool on wire racks, serve and enjoy!



 

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

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Hello friends, it has been a super busy weekend and I have lots of catching up and sharing to do on here! I figured I’d start with dessert since it’s my favorite. This is the third year I’ve done pumpkin cheesecake, but the first time I made it into bars. I like the bars because the portion is smaller and then you can have more than one dessert! Regular cheesecake slices are just too thick and this was way easier to serve. I loved it and plan to keep it around!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

yield 30-36 bars

  • 1-1 1/4 cup crushed whole wheat graham cracker crumbs
  • 2-3 tbs pumpkin butter
  • 2 8oz packages fat free cream cheese, softened
  • 2 8oz packages reduced fat cream cheese, softened
  • 3 whole eggs
  • 3 egg whites
  • 1 15oz can pumpkin
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 tbs sugar free maple syrup
  • 1/3 cup organic cane sugar
  • 1/3 cup Splenda
  • 2 tbs brandy (can omit)
  • 2-3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350. Combine graham cracker crumbs and pumpkin butter (I used my hands–it’s fun!) and press into a sprayed 9×13 baking dish.
  2. Bake for 8-10 min until set, remove and cool. Drop oven to 300.
  3. Meanwhile, beat cream, then gradually beat in sugars, Splenda, extracts and syrup until smooth.
  4. Beat eggs in one at a time.
  5. In a separate bowl, combine pumpkin, Brandy, flour, and pumpkin pie spice, then gradually add mixture to cream cheese mixture until just combined.
  6. Pour over prepared and cooled crust and bake for 60-80 minutes (if your oven is like mine, I suggest turning it around half way through), until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
  7. Cool for one hour, then transfer to the refrigerator and cool at least 8 hours.
  8. Cut, serve and enjoy!

Super Simple Pumpkin Brownies

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Okay, I almost never do this, but sometimes it is just nice to bake something that take like 3 steps. Sometimes you can take a normal boxed baking good and make it your own and enjoy not having to spend hours preparing said delicious baked good. Every once in a while I do something like this

Oh my gosh! It's from a box! I know, you're horrified.

And of course, I don’t follow directions. I change it, and make it my own until it’s something more like this

Super Simple Pumpkin Brownies

yield 25 small brownies

  • 1 box TJ’s Reduced Guilt Brownie Mix or No Pudge Brownie Mix (or honestly, if you follow these directions, I bet you could use any brownie mix and still have it be at least healthier)
  • 1 cup pureed pumpkin
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 25 grain sweetened white chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease 8″ square baking pan.
2. Mix all ingredients except chips. It will take a few minutes and batter will be very thick.
3. Transfer to baking dish. If desired, top with chips.
4. Bake for approx 30 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
5. Cut, plate and top with red fat pumpkin ice cream and sprinkles!

Taaaaddddaaaa!!!!

Skinnified Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes

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Hi friends, remember those delicious Peppermint White Mocha Cupcakes? You should, they were posted yesterday! 😉 Well of course I couldn’t choose between regular mocha and white mocha, so what’s a girl to do, but make both!

Mocha Cupcakes from Gimme Some Oven

My Swaps:

  • Whole wheat pastry flour for all purpose (+fiber, +protein)
  • Red fat buttermilk for whole milk (-fat, -calories)
  • Unsweetened applesauce for butter (-fat, -calories)
  • Sugar/Splenda blend for sugar (-sugar, -calories)
  • 2 egg whites for 1 egg  (-fat, -calories, -cholesterol)
  • + Starbucks via, vanilla and peppermint extract (+yum)

Skinnified Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes

yield 32 mini cupcakes

  • 1 1/3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 packets Starbucks via
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup red fat buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee, at room temperature + more for brushing
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/4 cup organic cane sugar
  • 2 tbs Splenda
  • 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large egg whites, at room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp peppermint extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line 32 mini muffin tins and spray liners.
2. Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In an electric mixer, combine applesauce, sugars, and extracts. Add egg whites one at a time.
4. In a separate bowl, combine coffee and buttermilk.
5. Alternate adding flour mixture and milk mixture to sugar and applesauce, starting and ending with flour mixture (1/3ish of dry, 1/2 of wet, 1/3ish of dry, 1/2 of wet, rest of dry). Mix until combined, scraping down sides of bowl when necessary.
6. Fill muffin tins 3/4 to top and bake for 18-22 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
7. Using a toothpick, poke several holes in each cupcake and brush with coffee.
8. Cool completely, frost with peppermint cream cheese frosting!

Enjoy, friends! PS: Check out my new up to date Who’s Who and Recipe tabs!

Skinnified Sunday: Peppermint White Mocha Cupcakes

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Hi friends! I have been waiting for Starbucks’ official Christmas launch to make the cupcakes that have been on my mind since October! I would just like to say that with all the promoting I do, Starbucks should sponsor this blog or something haha. Hey there Starbucks execs…want to pay me to turn your delicious drinks into healthier baked goods? Let’s make that happen. I woke up yesterday bright and early (shocker…the idea of sleeping in is completely lost on me) and ready to bake!

Let’s pretend those extra laugh lines up there are just because it was early and my skin wasn’t quite awake yet. Oh well, at least they’re not frown lines. Anyway, moving on! Steve and I headed over to the bux to get some fresh coffee and via for the cupcakes and some coffee for ourselves. My recent order now that it’s cold outside: Grande bold coffee, 1 pump sf mocha, 1 pump sf peppermint, 2 pumps sf vanilla, steamed soy. Not a misto–that is like half milk, just with soy milk that is steamed and foamy. Tastes just like a peppermint mocha! Delicious. You have to get over the embarrassment of a complicated order, but it’s worth it 😉

We came home and got right to the baking, while Winnie and Clem got right to their business: being cute.

“Mom, where are my cupcakes?”

Clementine lately has been really into humping Winston. She really wants to be the boss these days and it always cracks us up because he is so much bigger than her!

Winston is just like “yeah, okay, do what you want. I’m still the boss around here.”

Okaaayyyy, onto the cupcakes!

White Chocolate Sour Cream Cupcakes from Cake on the Brain

Skinnified Peppermint White Mocha Cupcakes

yield 36 mini cupcakes

  • 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1/2 cup organic cane sugar
  • 1/4 cup Splenda
  • 1 1/2 packets Starbucks via (or any instant coffee)
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2 oz grain sweetened white chocolate + 36 chips
  • 1/4 cup strong coffee, + extra for brushing
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/2 cup nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp peppermint extract
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 2 egg whites

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350,  line 36 mini muffin tins and spray inside liners (otherwise they will stick).
2. In mixer, combine flour, sugar, Splenda, via and salt.
3. Melt chocolate with coffee. Allow to cool slightly.
4. Add melted chocolate mixture to flour mixture and mix lightly.
5. Add yogurt, vanilla, peppermint, baking soda and egg whites and beat for 2 minutes.
6. Fill muffin tins 1/2 way to top, place 1 white chocolate chip in center, then fill up until they are 3/4 full (I pour it all into a freezer bag and cut a tiny hole in the corner).
7. Bake for 24 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean
8. Using a toothpick, poke several holes in each cupcake and brush with coffee.
9. Cool completely and frost with peppermint cream cheese frosting.

Original Frosting

from Gimme Some Oven

  • 8 oz. (1 brick) cream cheese, softened
  • 3-4 cups powdered sugar (depending on the thickness you’d like)
  • 4 Tbsp. butter, softened
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract

My Swaps:

  • Low fat cream cheese for regular (-fat, -calories)
  • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar for 3-4 (-sugar, -calories)
  • 2 tbs light whipped butter for 4 regular (-fat, -calories)

Skinnified Peppermint Cream Cheese Frosting

yield frosting for 40-50 mini cupcakes

  • 8 oz. (1 brick) reduced fat cream cheese, softened
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tbs light whipped butter, softened
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp peppermint extract

Directions:

1. Beat cream cheese, butter and extracts.
2. Slowly add powdered sugar, scraping down sides of bowl when necessary.
3. Transfer to freezer bag (or pastry bag if you’re fancy), cut small hole in the corner of the bag and frost!

C is for Clementine, W for Winston, S for Steve and A for Ari! Steve didn’t figure that one out right away 😉 and the heart is for love–duhhh! Yeah, I’m a cheeseball

Oh yeah, top with sprinkles! It makes it more fun! Pink for peppermint, brown for chocolate. I am so original 😉

They were soooo yummy! We had to take them immediately to our friends at the Bux and my mom so that our whole kitchen didn’t look like this

I also made regular peppermint mocha ones which I loved ALMOST as much. I just love white chocolate. Recipe coming soon. And before the season if over, you know there will be gingerbread latte (prob my fav Starbucks drink!), eggnog latte and caramel brulee latte treats coming your way. Stay tuned friends!

Skinnified “Spaghetti” and Meat Sauce

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AKA Spaghetti and Meat Sauce gets a huge make over!

Normal Spaghetti and Meat Sauce:

  • thick starchy carb loaded spaghetti noodles
  • fatty ground beef and pork
  • bland tamatoey sauce

My swaps are simple, and they make a HUGE difference in this recipe nutrition wise, but do not lack any of the flavor or comfort of the original dish. Here they are:

  • Spaghetti squash for spaghetti (-TONS of calories, +vitamins and other good stuff)
  • 99% lean ground turkey for beef/pork (-fat, -almost HALF the calories)
  • Extra spicy seasonings to give a diablo flair (+yum)

“Spaghetti” and Meat Sauce

yield 5

  • 2 large spaghetti squash, cut length wise and seeded
  • 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 6oz can tomato paste
  • 1 packet spaghetti sauce seasonings
  • 1 1/4 lb 99% lean ground turkey
  • cayenne pepper (or any spicy seasoning), Italian seasonings, salt and pepper to taste
  • Parmesan cheese (opt)

Directions:

1. Rub olive oil evenly between 4 squash halves.
2. Season with salt, pepper and Italian seasonings.
3. Place face down in sprayed baking dish and roast for 40-50 minutes @ 375.
4. Brown turkey in large sauce pan.
5. Add tomato paste, seasonings and water (see packet for water measurements).
6. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until thickened and squash is fully cooked.
7. Remove squash from oven and using a fork, scrape out “spaghetti” strings.
8. Add “spaghetti” to sauce, stir well.
9. Top with Parmesan cheese if desired.
10. Enjoy!

**Some words on spaghetti squash**

  • When the squash is done, the spaghetti like strings will easily come out when scraped with a fork.
  • The texture is not the same as regular spaghetti, so if you’re expecting soft, melt in your mouth noodles, I’m sorry, it just isn’t so. It’s more like an al dente pasta–a little crisper, but the taste is seriously amazing.
  • I made this dish for an all male audience and one of them (Hermano) is 14 and picky. They all loved it.
  • Just TRY the spaghetti squash–this entire meal cost about $15 and has about 250 calories a serving. A FILLING serving. Just try it!!

Skinnified Pumpkin Pie French Toast

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When I saw Nicole’s recipe for pumpkin pie french toast, I wiped the drool from my mouth and began day dreaming about how I would make it myself. With all the plans and business happening in my life, I’ve been eating out a LOT. I used to love going out to eat, but let me tell you, after this weekend I am really pretty sick of it. I just want the time to make the food I want to make in my own kitchen, and have someone else clean up after me. Is that too much to ask?! 😉 I have tons of recipes doggy eared and book marked that I am just waiting to try out. Now, ask me by the end of December and I will tell you “Uuugghhh, I’m so tired of cooking and baking and hosting. Just take me to Chipotle!” Balance right? Unfortunately my balance is like weeks of one thing followed by months of an other. Haven’t quite put them together…yet.

Anyway, Sunday morning I actually had the time, after laying in bed for a spectacular hour watching Grey’s Anatomy–I NEVER lay in bed in the morning–I’m always busy busy, must get up and be productive, but it was seriously the most amazing hour!–to make a real breakfast! Hooray!! I knew I had to give this French toast a try! Hit up Nicole’s page to find this original recipe and so many more amazing ones!

Her original recipe isn’t super unhealthy, but here are some swaps I made

  • 1/2 recipe
  • Unsweetened vanilla almond milk for regular (-calories)
  • More vanilla and spices (+yum)
  • Egg whites for whole eggs (-fat, -calories, -cholesterol)
  • 1/2 brown sugar, 1/2 sugar free maple syrup for brown sugar (-sugar, -calories)
  • + protein powder (Gotta have my protein!)
  • Ezekiel bread for regular (Have you tried it? It’s a complete protein! Whatever that really means…)

Skinnified Pumpkin Pie French Toast

serves 2

  • 1/4 cup  + 2 tbs (or don’t be picky and just use 1/3 cup 🙂 ) pumpkin puree
  • 3 large egg whites
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tbs (same rule applies) unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 tbs brown sugar
  • 1/2 tbs sugar free maple syrup
  • 1  tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 4 slices of cinnamon raisin Ezekiel bread
  • chia seeds (optional)

Directions:

1. Whisk all ingredients (except bread and chia) together well.
2. Soak bread for 5-30 minutes, depending on patience/hunger.
3. Place in a sprayed nonstick pan or skillet over medium heat.
4. Sprinkle with chia seeds if desired
5. Flip when bottom is golden brown.
6. If you’re like me, drizzle any remaining soak mixture onto the bread and top with more chia seeds (Note, if you do this, you will have to flip again. It’s worth it.)
7. When both sides are finished cooking and golden brown, transfer to a plate and top with pumpkin yogurt topping.

Pumpkin Yogurt Topping

serves 1

  • 1/4 cup non fat vanilla Greek yogurt
  • 3 tbs pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 tbs almond butter (or any nut butter)
  • 1 tbs sugar free maple syrup
  • If you’re like me and want to make sure you’re full for the rest of your life, you can add even more chia seeds

Directions:

1. Whisk together and lay it on that toast!

Yummmmmm

Steve is less cool than me, and only tops with sf maple syrup. Good thing it’s sugar free because boy loves his syrup. I always ask if he wants some toast with his syrup. Then he just gives me a dirty look. Oh, marriage.

This French toast was A-MA-ZING!! I will make it again and again and again! Thanks Nicole for the delicious inspiration!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!

Skinnified Sunday: Marble Cupcakes

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Here is part two in my catch up from all the amazingness that has been happening that I haven’t had time to post about! For Mona’s birthday, she requested marble cupcakes. I found a fabulous recipe at How Sweet Eats that originally came from Martha Stewart. Steve and I woke up at 6:30 so we could bake and photograph before he left for work. While we worked on our food, the puppies also worked on theirs

After Clementine inhaled her food as if we had never fed her before (that’s why there’s a can in her food bowl–to slow her down), she spent her time working on her cuteness

Which I’m pretty sure she has down pat

My Swaps:

  • Whole wheat pastry flour for regular flour (+protein, +fiber)
  • Unsweetened vanilla almond milk for milk (-calories)
  • Reduced fat buttermilk for heavy cream (-fat, -calories, -saturated fat)
  • Organic cane sugar/Splenda combo for sugar (-sugar, -calories)
  • Unsweetened applesauce for butter (-fat, -calories, -saturated fat)

**Note, I usually swap egg whites for whole eggs, but this time I didn’t. Not for any reason other than I didn’t want to use the extra eggs. I’m cheap. You can sub egg whites 😉

Skinnified Mini Marble Cupcakes

yield 48 mini cupcakes

  • 1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour, sifted
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 1/3 cup reduced fat buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/2 cup organic cane sugar (or just plain ol’ sugar)
  • 1/3 cup Splenda
  • 3 large eggs (or 5 egg whites)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup boiling water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Sift together flour, salt and baking power.
3. In a separate bowl, combine milks.
4. In an electric mixer, combine applesauce, Splenda and sugar.
5. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated.
6. Beat in vanilla.
7. Add in flour mixture in 3 bathes, alternating with two additions of milk mixture (flour, milk, flour, milk, flour) and beating until combined.
8. For chocolate batter, measure out 1 cup batter, and transfer to another bowl.
9. Combine cocoa and boiling water into the bowl. Stir into 1 cup of reserved batter.
10. Fill lined mini cupcake tins half way with vanilla batter.
11. Top with chocolate batter so that each tin is 3/4 full.
12. Swirl with toothpick.
13. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
14. Cool and top with chocolate frosting (recipe below)

Unfortunately, I never did get a frosted picture, but I tasted the frosting and it was pretty delicious so here’s the recipe for that too!

Skinnified Chocolate Buttercream (or as skinnified as buttercream can be):

  • 1/2 cup light whipped butter, softened
  • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbs fat free half and half
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Directions:

1. With an electric mixer, beat butter until fluffy.
2. Add vanilla, half and half, cocoa powder and 1/2 powdered sugar.
3. Beat, then slowly add the rest of powdered sugar, scraping down sides of the bowl.
4. Top cupcakes and enjoy!

Skinnified Sunday: Pumpkin Raisin Pancakes

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Today has been an almost perfect Sunday. A perfect Sunday would of course involve a day off, which I don’t get until Thanksgiving. Tired of my whining yet? It will continue. I hate to admit it, but it’s only fair to warn you. By the time Thanksgiving rolls around it will have been over 2 months of straight work, so you’ll just have to bear with me and accept that although I love what I do, this Fall has been a challenge mentally.

Anyway, I woke up at 5:30 to run with Kara. Unfortunately, after I was already dressed, I checked my phone and noticed a text from her saying she didn’t feel so hot. What’s funny is I had hardly slept either and I laid in bed debating canceling, but I figured I was already dressed, I better get my run on. I thought about taking Winston, but I haven’t focused on speed since before the Komen, and I knew I needed to use today to work on it. Unfortunately, my ipod running playlist isn’t finished and my phone isn’t doing so well on my runs so it was just me and the silence of 5:45 am. It was super dark out and I was a little scared, but it was nice to just be by myself in the perevt 65 degree temperature.

I did jogging and speedy run intervals up to Starbucks where I stopped for some water and a chat with some of my fav baristas, then was back on my way to continue. The second half I may or may not have had to take a stop and breathe break or 4. Yes, I paused my garmin so my “speedy” time I don’t feel super impressed with, but it was nice to at least work on speed.

A little while after my run, my appetite came on full force. It always takes a good 30 minutes for me to be able to consider food after a work out. Yesterday at Chompy’s, Hermano ordered pumpkin pancakes that tasted like heaven. I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about them, so I woke Steve up to take me to Starbucks and the store. I’m an awesome wife. I got a delicious grande bold coffee with 2 pumps pumpkin spice, 2 pumps sf caramel and steamed soy with cinnamon sprinkled on top. I really miss hot coffee when it’s warm here. It’s still too hot, but if I REALLY want it, I will drink it and sweat. It’s really cute. I am the epitome of class.

Onto the most important part: The most amazing pancakes I have EVER made! Better than chocolate chip, better than any white flour crap. This is the real deal.

Pumpkin Pancakes

(theworldlink.com)

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons. packed brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 3/4 cups milk
  • 3 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
  • 1/4 cup cooking oil

My Swaps:

  • 1/2 recipe (-temptation)
  • Whole wheat pastry flour for all purpose (+fiber, +protein)
  • Molasses and sf maple syrup for brown sugar (-sugar, -calories)
  • Unsweetened vanilla almond milk for reg (-fat, -calories)
  • Egg whites for whole eggs (-fat, -calories, -cholesterol)
  • More pumpkin (+yum)
  • cooking oil who needs it?! Spray works just fine.
  • + chia seeds (+fiber, +protein, +staying power)
  • + protein powder (+protein-duh, +staying power)
  • + raisins (okay, the more I add things,  the less “skinnified” these sound…)
  • + seasonings and extracts (+yum)

Skinnified Fluffy Pumpkin Raisin Pancakes

yielf 3-4 servings

  • 1 cups whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1/2 tbs molasses
  • 1 tbs sf maple syrup
  • 1/2 tbs baking powder
  • 1 pinch salt
  • almost 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 3 egg whites, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
  • 1/2 tbs chia seeds
  • 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • dash cloves
  • dash ginger
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • dash maple extract
  • 1/4 cup raisins (optional)

 

Directions:

  1. Combine dry ingredients.
  2. In a separate bowl, combine wet ingredients.
  3. Gently fold wet ingredients into dry until barely combined with some small lumps–DO NOT OVER MIX!
  4. Pour pancakes onto sprayed nonstick pan or skillet.
  5. Top with raisins if desired.
  6. Cook over medium low heat until bottom is set and small bubbles form on top.
  7. Flip, and cook on remaining side for 2-3 minutes until golden.
  8. Enjoy!

Topping ideas:

  • vanilla Greek yogurt
  • sf maple syrup
  • granola
  • fig butter
  • nut butter
  • butter butter

Whiccchhhaaaaa!!!! I am the pancake master!!! No pancake stands a chance!

Ok, ok, I admit it! I am still in my sweaty run clothes. You can judge me if you want. Sometimes I’m lazy. Steve just topped his with sf syrup.

I topped mine with nonfat vanilla Greek, sf syrup, extra chia seeds and granola per usual, but also added a thin layer of TJ’s fig butter which was an excellent choice!

Yummmmmmm

I’m telling you, I always love every recipe I post, and I almost always at least like every recipe I make, but these pancakes were a different kind of out of this world amazing love. I admit that sometimes whole wheat pancakes are a little brick-like dense, but these are light and fluffy like clouds or pillows. They are the perfect amount of sweet and the right amount of pumpkin. I could eat them again and again and again and I plan to. Do yourself a favor, make these pancakes. You won’t regret it.

Everything Oatmeal Cookies

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Ok, here (finally) are the cookies I’ve been promising since my rest day turned into baking day!

 

Everything Oatmeal Cookies

yield a whole bunch, like 60+

  • 2 large over ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1/2 cup organic cane sugar
  • 1/4 cup Splenda
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 3 egg whites
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp coconut extract
  • 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • pinch salt
  • 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
  • 2 cups Koala Crisp (or other puffed rice cereal)
  • 1 cup grain sweetened chocolate chips
  • 1/3 cup shredded coconut (I used sweetened–feel free to be healthier than me and use unsweetened)
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened dried cherries

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 375

2) In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt and baking soda.

3) In a large bowl, beat together banana, sugars, egg whites, and extracts.

4) Add flour mixture to wet ingredients and mix until combined.

5) Gently fold in cereal, chocolate chips, coconut and cherries.

6) Bake for 9-11 minutes until slightly golden and just barely set.

7) Let sit for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!!!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispy Treats

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Tonight is an other Starbucks birthday! In about an hour, Steve and I will be heading out to PF Chang’s to celebrate our friend Eddie’s birthday. In case you missed Kara’s and Bekki’s birthday posts, I am the resident birthday treat maker and Steve is the resident photographer amongst this group 🙂 Eddie asked for peanut butter chocolate rice krispy treats, and although I was less than excited (these are so easy!), I’m a good listener 🙂 And it ended up being nice because they were fast and I ended up really liking them. Plus they are one of the least unhealthy desserts anyway, so I didn’t have to make too many adjustments.

While I started “baking”, Steve played with his fancy new camera lens and insisted on taking pictures of me. He caught me with only one chin–that’s all it takes to make me happy in a picture 🙂

Maybe next time, he should let me shut the fridge first 😉 Anyway, onto the recipe!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispy Treats

yield 25 servings

  • 10 oz marshmallows (I used organic vanilla ones from Whole Foods. They’re made with Kosher gelatin so my dad can approve! 🙂 )
  • 2 tbs Peanut Butter & Co White Chocolate Wonderful (or any pb you like really), divided 1 1/2 tbs & 1/2 tbs
  • 1 tsp vanilla nut butter flavoring
  • 6 cups chocolate brown rice cereal such as Koala Crisp
  • 1 tbs fat free half and half
  • 1/4-1/3 cup grain sweetened chocolate chips

Directions:

1) Place marshmallows, vanilla nut butter and 1 1/2 tbs peanut butter in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for approx 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute, until marshmallow and peanut butter melt together when mixed.

2) Mix in cereal 1 cup at a time.

3) Transfer into wax papered & sprayed 13×9 pan.

4) Use a sprayed  piece of wax paper to push down and evenly distribute.

5) Evenly disperse chocolate chips, pressing them in upside down.

6) Melt remaining 1/2 tbs peanut butter in the microwave.

7) Stir in 1 tbs fat free half and half and a drop of vanilla nut butter.

8 ) Spread in a thin layer on top of bars.

9) Let cool for 1 hour, cut and enjoy!

 

Notice how AMAZING Steve’s photography is getting? Look at that!

I may or may not have already sampled them…

They are delicious 🙂

Skinnified Sunday: White Chocolate Chip Lemon Blondies

· by ·

Hi friends! So I actually made these blondies on Monday after feeling like I hardly got to do any of my normal weekend cooking and had the spontaneous urge to bake, although really, when do I not want to bake? I LOVE lemon pastry. The middle layer of our wedding cake was lemon with cream cheese filling. It’s pretty much one of my favorite things on Earth. Also, I find that brownies are REALLY good with yogurt instead of oil. I almost never use real oil anyway and I never really mind, but I find it works especially well in brownies. So here’s what I started with…

White Chocolate Lemon Blondies

  • 6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
  • 155 grams white chocolate, chopped (reserve 30 grams)
  • 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

My swaps:

  • Nonfat vanilla yogurt for butter (-fat, -saturated fat, -calories)
  • Grain sweetened white chocolate chips and way less of them for white chocolate (-sugar, -calories)
  • Whole wheat pastry flour for all purpose (+fiber, +protein)
  • 5 egg whites for 3 eggs (-fat, -saturated fat, -calories, -cholesterol)
  • 1/2 cup organic cane sugar + 1/3 cup Splenda for 1 cup sugar (-sugar, -calories)
  • 1 tsp coconut extract for 1 of the tsps of vanilla (+yum)

Skinnified White Chocolate Chip Lemon Blondies

yeild 20

  • 6 oz non fat vanilla yogurt
  • 1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 5 egg whites
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup Splenda
  • zest of one large lemon
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp coconut extract
  • 1/4-1/3 cup grain sweetened white chocolate chips

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350.

2) In an electric mixer, combine yogurt, egg whites, sugar, Splenda, lemon zest, and extracts.

3) Add in baking powder, salt and flour.

4) Pour into a greased 9×9 baking sheet.

5) Evenly distribute white chocolate chips on top.

6) Bake for 30 minutes, until set, but gooey.

7) Enjoy!

I cut them pretty small and they only ended up being about 50 calories a piece, so Steve and I decided two + Cool Whip and sprinkles was the perfect serving size 🙂


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