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Boneless Chicken Mole
A Mexican favorite, mole sauce is an explosion of vibrant flavors and textures. I have always found the addition of chocolate into this savory recipe fascinating so I had to try it out? I wanted to keep the ingredients as traditional as possible, but use boneless, skinless chicken breasts to keep the fat and calories down. There are many different variations on mole, but I decided to do one based on chipotle peppers and adobo sauce because I love the smoky flavor. After sauteing and simmering all of the ingredients, the last step is the addition of dark chocolate – pure delight for a baker like myself! The chocolate thickens the sauce beautifully and is the perfect contrast to the savory peppers and onions. In the end, the sauce doesn’t taste chocolately at all because the flavors mend together beautifully. It turned out to be authentic Mexican feast full of flavor and spiciness – I hope you enjoy!
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No Butter Fluffy Spring Vanilla Cupcakes
I wasn’t looking to reinvent the cupcake – after all, it is perfect the way it is. But being cupcake-obsessed and someone who watches her calories, I had to bake something to satisfy both. I had a couple of things in mind when setting out to bake a healthier version of a cupcake today – first off, I wanted to incorporate plain Greek yogurt, because every time I substitute yogurt in my baking, it comes out spectacular. Secondly,
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It’s a Raisin Bran Muffin Makeover!
If you are looking for a hearty muffin without all the fat (or in this case, ANY fat!), then give these made-over Raisin Bran Muffins a try. Check out the recipe below – I hope you enjoy!
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A Chocolate Chip Cookie Shake-up: Toll House Marble Squares
If you love chocolate chip cookies, you will go crazy for Nestle’s Toll House Marble Squares. With all the same ingredients you love in chocolate chip cookies –rich brown sugar and fudgy chocolate chips– these squares are essentially cookie batter baked in the form of a cake in a sheet pan. The squares are a bit thicker and chewier than their cookie form, but share the same chocolate chip cookie taste we have all grown to love. Once the “cake” is baked, you cut it into small squares for bite-sized treats. This recipe makes for a great gift – simply package up the squares in small boxes with decorative bows and you have a guaranteed hit. Keep reading for the full recipe!
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Sherry Cake
Sherry cake is one of my grandmother’s most delightful go-to cakes. It’s easy to make and bursting with the distinct taste of sherry wine. You start with a basic yellow cake mix and vanilla instant pudding mix and add eggs, oil, sherry and nutmeg. The result is a moist, dense pound cake-like cake that is sure to impress. It works really well baked in a bundt pan and sliced thin with dusted powdered sugar on top. You can make it in mini loaf pans as well if you wish.
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Coconut Macaroons
I have to admit, my boyfriend’s office has been growing increasingly jealous of the fresh baked goods I send my boyfriend into work with. One of the guys requested macaroons, so I gave it a try. This recipe is courtesy of the Barefoot Contessa and is truly the best coconut macaroon recipe around. The cookies are moist on the inside and crunchy on the outside. Not only are they beautiful, but the recipe is super easy as well. With only sweetened shredded coconut, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, egg whites and salt on the ingredient list, you can whip up these cookies in no time. Once baked and cooled, you can try dipping some in melted chocolate or leaving them plain. The best part is when you are baking, the sweet smell of coconut fills the house, making it smell like a tropical paradise!
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The Best Homemade Granola Bars Ever
Warning: these bars are addictive!! I finally found the perfect, healthy Granola Bar recipe and I am thrilled to share it with you here. Most granola bar recipes contain loads of butter to obtain their distinct crunchiness, but this recipe only has a couple tablespoons of oil and is loaded with texture and flavor. -
Three Garlic Pasta
If you love garlic and are looking for a quick, easy dinner full of flavor, look no further than Three Garlic Pasta. It’s a supercharged version of “spaghetti with garlic and oil,” amplified by garlic prepared 3 ways – roasted, sliced and chopped. To roast the garlic in the oven, use a terra cotta garlic roaster or simply wrap full cloves of garlic in tin foil and roast in the oven for about an hour until garlic is soft and golden. Then, sauté thinly sliced garlic and chopped garlic in olive oil, for 2 more variations and textures of garlic. After tossing your three types of garlic with “al dente” spaghetti, olive oil, white wine, parsley, red pepper seeds, salt and pepper, you have a tasty pasta dish that is sure to impress. It’s Italian peasant food made elegant and new. Enjoy!
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Healthy Chunky Banana Bran Muffins
There is nothing better than a healthy, hearty bran muffin so I set out to create one full of sweet, chunky bananas. With the addition of nonfat Greek yogurt, I was able to reduce the amount of oil in the recipe and still maintain the moistness and texture of a traditional bran muffin. For lots of fiber and healthy grains, I added wheat bran and wheat germ, along with a combination of light brown sugar and molasses for sweetness. A teaspoon of freshly grated orange zest adds a subtle citrus twist. Most banana muffin recipes call for small, diced pieces of banana that pretty much blend in, but I wanted these muffins to be chunky, so I cut the bananas slices thick. Once baked and cooled, you will have a dozen golden brown bran muffins, chock full of distinct bananas and chewy grains. Enjoy!
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Curry Garden Vegetable Soup
On these cold winter nights, nothing is more comforting than a bowl of homemade soup. This past weekend, my mom and grandmother set out to make a hearty, fresh and healthy vegetable soup with loads of flavor and a Thai-inspired ingredient list. Mission accomplished.
