Peanut Butter Mocha Brownies

Sometimes you just get a craving for something rich, decadent, and slightly bad-for-you. This is an amped-up healthier version of brownies that packs all the flavor and decadence you could want in a brownie. Plus there’s a peanut butter swirl!!

Obviously, my sweetie and I dug in before I got pictures – so good and very satisfying!

Peanut Butter Mocha Brownies (adapted from Healthy Food for Living)

Ingredients:

cooking spray (like canola oil)
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup loosely packed brown sugar
6 tablespoons unsweetened, good quality cocoa
dash of salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 packet Starbuck Via/Nescafe instant coffee (or 1 teaspoon instant coffee)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/4 plus 1/8 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 plus 1/8 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup chocolate chips (or any flavored chips of your choice)
heaping tablespoon of organic peanut butter

Directions:

1. Take an 8×8 glass pan and spray with canola oil and then dust with whole wheat flour (this will allow the brownies to release from the pan super easily). Set aside.
2. In a bowl, whisk very briskly by hand together applesauce, oil, and sugar until light and slightly airy.
3. Add following ingredients one-by-one and whisk each in thoroughly: cocoa, salt, baking powder, coffee, extract, eggs.
4. Next fold in flour until just combined. Then fold in chocolate chips. Pour batter into baking pan.
5. Melt heaping tablespoon of peanut butter in microwave until runny. Pour artfully over the batter, then take a knife and drag through the batter to create swirl between brownies and peanut butter.
6. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Makes 9 medium sized brownies.

Let cool and cut into 9 squares. ENJOY! So tasty!

Buttermilk Blueberry Scones (perfect for a weekend morning!)

I have trying to get better at taking pictures – but I am not so good at it sometimes! This weekend has been filled with lots of things to do and lots of activity. My legs are tired, which means I need to do some yoga tomorrow to give them some stretches and a break. Yesterday we went on a 2 hour 20 minute walk around the area, and we had a sinful dinner: veggieburger with the works and fired! MMmmm! Sometimes you just need those greasy, yummy meals. This morning started with 5.25 miles on the elliptical at the gym – it was tough today – but I am glad I did it. Maybe the sodium from last night’s dinner made me sluggish?

I made a batch of my Buttermilk Blueberry Scones this weekend, and they are so tasty! Here is the day after pictures and recipe. I seriously think God wants me to open a bakery/cafe someday.

Buttermilk Blueberry Scones

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (plus whole wheat flour to “knead” dough)
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• dash of salt
• 4 tablespoons margarine, chilled and cubed
• 3/4 cup blueberries
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg

Directions

1. Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl (flour, sugar, baking powder, salt) and then “cut” the margarine into the flour mixture (I usually take my hands and work the butter and dry ingredients together – it becomes mealy in a sense – don’t overwork it).
2. Add milk and eggs into bowl, mix together slightly before mixing into dry ingredients. Dough should forms and then fold in blueberries. Be careful to not overwork the dough.
3. Dump dough on to whole wheat floured cutting board, shape into a large triangle and cut into wedges and triangles. Place on ungreased baking sheet for 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Place in preheated 375 degree oven on ungreased baking sheet for 15 to 20 minutes.

These are delicious warm and served next day!! I love them alone, with clotted cream, lots of different things. They are tasty.

 

Peanut Butter Fix (Cookie Style)!

I hit the gym today and did 5.5 miles on the elliptical, which told me I burnt 750 calories. I was feeling weaker today and did not end up doing my small strength training portion of my workout. So to avoid injury and making myself run down – I called it quits after the 5.5 mile workout. I then stopped at the food store to get some really cheap marinade (special on Lawry’s marinades – only $1.00 a piece at Albertson’s!!). I also picked up some of the Sugar Free Flavor for my coffee – it’s not coconut, but it’s Sugar Free Hazelnut Flavor – and I think it was a great buy! It sweetens my coffee with just a bit, and after a 1/4 cup of Vanilla Almond Milk, it brings my morning cup of joe down from 100 calories to 30-40 calories a cup. Much more manageable!! So obviously, I made a cup after I got back from the gym.

I ate a very unique dinner tonight (for me). I took some extra firm tofu and crumbled it up, marinated it in some Lawry’s Hawaiian dressing with frozen peas and the leftover remains of the asparagus stir fry I had in the freezer. Super healthy and the tofu was actually great! It was filling, and tasty. I polished off a oatmeal chocolate chip soft cookie I made the other night. But I was craving some PEANUT BUTTER!

Oh yum yum! I am ALL about food that is better for you but tastes oh so decadent! I love peanut butter and cookies, especially oatmeal cookies. So here is my recipe for tasty (and better for you peanut butter cookies!)

Ingredients:

1 and 1/4 cup rolled oats
Less that 1/4 cup of white sugar
1/4 cup of peanut butter
2 tablespoons of all natural apple sauce
5 teaspoons of whole wheat flour
1 egg
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
a few chocolate chips

For this recipes I combine all the ingredients (EXCEPT the chocolate chips) and mixed them until they form a dough. I then measure a tablespoon scoop of the dough and place on a cookie sheet. Put one chocolate chips on each piece of dough. Place in preheated 350 degree oven for 10 – 12 minutes. Enjoy!

How could you not eat this!??! Make some right now 🙂 And averaging about 80 calories a cookie – that’s a pretty sweet cookie.

Peanutella: A Chocolate Nut Spread

SO Holy YUM! This weekend I got the motivation to try to make a chocolate-peanut nut butter (sort of like it’s chocolate-hazelnut counterpart – but for much cheaper).

So I realize that this is not the best thing for you and obviously, proceed with caution – I could eat spoonful after spoonful of this! It’s delicious! 😀

1 cup shelled salted peanuts
1/8 cup unsweetened cocoa
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons canola oil

Roast the peanuts on a cookie sheet in a 400 degree oven for 4 to 5 minutes – until the a slightly browned and very fragant (I roasted mine a touch too long, so just keep your eyes on them!).

Then place the peanuts in the food processor with a quick drizzle of oil to get the peanuts grinding. From there, they should turn into a peanut buttery paste (esentially you are making peanut butter with some pizazz!) that will in a sense become like that creamy PB consistency.

Once the peanuts are like this, throw in the cocoa and powdered sugar, with a little bit of oil until it is at the desired consistency – to pull everything together. Put in a jar and store in the fridge! YUM!

I had it in my overnights oats this morning. And on Saturday, my fiancee made delicious waffles which I was more than happy to spread some on to. It was a delicious Saturday…and Sunday…and Monday! 😛