healthy peanut butter, chocolate chip, banana muffins.

I just love muffins, especially banana chocolate chips ones. 

Then they got even better...banana, chocolate chips, AND peanut butter!

SAY WHAT!? 

It's true and totally possible.

And they are even kinda healthy. They are made with honey instead of granulated sugar. They contain no butter or oil.  And they include high protein greek yogurt!

Those ripe bananas are totally calling your name. (I can hear them!) 

Get baking!

ingredients:

2 ripe large bananas, mashed with no chunks
1/4 cup honey 
1/4 cup dark brown sugar (I used light brown sugar)
1/2 cup yogurt (I used vanilla greek yogurt)
1 large egg
1/3 cup milk (any kind)
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (non-oily natural works)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 and 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour (or an even mix of whole wheat + all-purpose)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2-1 cup chocolate chips (you decide)

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 F degrees. Spray 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray or line with muffin cups. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the mashed bananas, honey, brown sugar, yogurt, egg, and milk together until combined.  Whisk in the peanut butter and vanilla extract until smooth and thick. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and chocolate chips together.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and lightly whisk until combined.  Try not to overstir the muffin batter or your muffins will have a tough (not soft) texture. Stir as little as possible until no flour pockets remain.
4. Fill the muffin cups practically all the way to the top. Between 3/4 full and all the way full. Bake for 5 minutes at 425F degrees. 
5. Keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350F and continue to bake for 12 more minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  

**Thank you Sallys Baking Addiction for yet another addicting recipe :) **

chocolate donut holes with oreo glaze.

Are you ready to blow to some minds today? 

Yes? Ok good. I'll help you.

These beyond simple donut "holes" are made in mini muffin tins. You can make them in a real donut pan if you have one, just adjust the baking time. 

First, you whip up some plain (but flavorful, I promise) chocolate donut batter and let 'em bake. While they are baking, make the glaze. There is an estimated ratio of milk to powdered sugar given in the recipe. Feel free to add more if you'd like to because you can always double dip those bad boys ;) Just don't forget the chopped up Oreos!

After they are out of the oven and mostly cooled, dunk 'em all the way in to that thick, yummy glaze. If they are being consumed at home, they are ready to eat! If they are going somewhere, I recommend waiting to store them until the glaze is hardened. 

I also recommend lining the cooling rack with foil/wax/parchment. This makes for a super easy clean up.  Also, please read my notes under the recipe to see my substitutions. :)

Ingredients:

For the donuts:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup buttermilk*
1 egg**
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, browned***
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Oreo glaze:
1 and 1/4 cups powdered (confectioners) sugar, sifted
2-4 tablespoons milk****

Finely chopped Oreos (I probably used 6-8 double stuffed)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a mini donut pan (or mini muffin tins) with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and brown sugar. 
3. In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg, butter, and vanilla. Pour wet ingredients into dry and slowly, stir together until everything is just combined.
4. Transfer batter to a Ziploc bag or a piping bag (I didn't do this, I just spooned it). and cut the tip off. Squeeze the batter into each mold, filling it about 2/3 full.  Bake for 7 minutes (a little longer if you are using a muffin tin, I left mine in around 10 minutes). Let the donuts rest in the pan for 2-3 minutes before removing and transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. 
5. Repeat process until all the batter has been used.
6. While the donuts are cooling, prepare the glaze. In a medium-sized bowl, beat together powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, and chopped Oreos until well-combined. The glaze should be thick, but still pourable. Add milk as needed to get it to the right consistency.
7. Dip the entire donut into the glaze (you won't be sorry) with a spoon or other utensil.  Place on a wire rack. Glaze will harden after some time. 

*I put 1/2 tbsp lemon juice into glass measuring cup and filled the rest of the way up with half and half. Also, you might need 1/4 cup more milk (or half and half, cream, almond milk, etc.). My batter was thick like dough but was perfect after I added more liquid.

**I didn't have an egg so I substituted 1/4 cup vanilla greek yogurt.

***I am lazy and therefore, I didn't brown my butter. I melted it.

****I used a combo of half and half and milk. The result? A thick, rich, creamy glaze.

Recipe (slightly tweaked) from Culinary Couture

Enjoy, friends & please let me know what you think!!

cherry white chocolate pudding cookies.

I'm usually not a cherry-flavored dessert person (especially when maraschino cherries are involved). Don't get my wrong, I LOVE eating cherries in fresh fruit form. I just don't like it in my dessert, however, I will admit there are a couple cherry desserts I do enjoy. 

But these cookies, oh these cookies, are a game-changer for me. Ok, maybe I can't go that far... They are an exception to my (mostly) no-cherry-dessert-rule. 

They are soft, sweet, and PINK! 

What are you waiting for? 

Make these adorable cookies now! 

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons Cherry flavored gelatin (uncooked)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 package instant white chocolate pudding (3.3 ounces, uncooked)
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 bag white chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Cream butter, sugar and Jello together. 
2. Add eggs and vanilla, cream again. 
3. Combine flour, pudding mix, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl then slowly add to butter mixture. 
4. Once all combined, fold in chocolate chips. 
5. Spoon onto parchment lined baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes. 
6. Let cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes before removing to racks to cool completely.

Notes:

Mine yielded about 36 cookies which is ~23 grams carbohydrates per cookie

Recipe Credit: Chocolate Chocolate and More

healthy fried rice with cauliflower.

I love this easy-to-make veggie "fried" rice. It uses absolutely no oil and is loaded with veggies. You can scale down the ingredient amounts if you don't need 15 servings. :)

I paired this side dish with teriyaki steak but it would be super simple to make this a main course by adding cooked chicken, pork, or steak.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups cauliflower
• 1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
• 5 cups cooked brown rice 
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 cup defrosted vegetable blend (peas, corn, green beans, carrots)
• 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce

Preparation

1. Steam cauliflower
2. Chop cauliflower finely, using a blender or food processor. (Don't puree though, otherwise it'll look like mashed potatoes)
3. In a frying pan, add broth and bring it to a light boil. 
4. Once broth has began to simmer add your cooked rice, cauliflower, and vegetable blend.
5. Once the rice mixture has soaked up the broth add your soy sauce,  pepper, cinnamon, and brown sugar. 
6. Let the rice cook on low. (while egg cooks)
7. While the rice is cooking, scramble up the egg in a separate pan. 
8. Add cooked egg to the rice mixture and stir.
9. It is ready to serve!

Recipe Credit: Undressed Skeleton

gluten free fudge brownies.

Rich, decadent brownies that are to die for! 

Here's another non-gritty, non-grainy gluten free recipe.  These have all the things that brownies should have- cocoa, lots of sugar, and chunky chocolate chips. Gluten allergy or not, these brownies are worth trying. :)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil (or butter if you aren't doing dairy free)
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips, not optional :)
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 
2. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking pan and line pan with parchment paper. 
3. Combine the sugars and oil and beat until well combined. 
4. Add in the eggs and whisk together. Mix in the vanilla and beat for about two minutes. 
5. Stir together the cocoa and salt. 
6. Add the dry ingredients to the batter and blend until smooth. 
7. Fold in the chips and nuts. 
8. Pour into prepared pan and bake about 20-25 minutes. 

Recipe Source: Yammies Glutenfreedom