Thin Mint Cake

Like many families in America, one of our favorite indulgent treats was that special time of year when the Girl Scouts came around selling Girl Scout Cookies and there was one cookie in particular that we just had to have: Thin Mints. There was something about Thin Mints that once you opened the box and […]

Thin Mint Cake

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Paleo Chocolate chip banana bread — aka Black Bottom Banana Bread (paleo, gluten free, grain free, dairy free)

Yes, it’s paleo.  I was super excited and intrigued!  This came out so moist and delicious; I just had to share!

Recipe from Living Healthy with Chocolate

Black Bottom Banana Bread (paleo, gluten free, grain free, dairy free)

AUTHOR: Living Healthy With Chocolate

 Ingredients

• 1½ cups blanched almond flour
• 1½ teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup raw cacao powder
• 1½ cups ripe bananas*
• 4 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon raw honey
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

1. in a medium bowl, mix together the almond flour, baking soda and salt
2. add the bananas, coconut oil, vanilla, egg and honey to a food processor and pulse to combine ingredients
3. mix together the wet and dry ingredients using a spoon to form a batter. Be careful not to over mix or the batter will become oily and dense.
4. divide the batter in half. Add the cacao powder and chocolate chips to half and pour into the bottom of an 8½” x 4½”-inch medium loaf pan greased or lined with parchment paper
5. spoon remaining batter on top and bake at 350°F until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, approximately 45 minutes.

Cook’s Notes

* To measure 1½ cups of bananas, chop the banana into small pieces and fill the measuring cup.

Apple bananas enhances the flavor of this bread, so make sure to use it if you can find it for sale at your local stores.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Muffins

My Bear absolutely loves sweets.  I’m currently still in the transition of going paleo and eating clean, however, one can indulge every now and then, right?  Last Thanksgiving, we hosted both our families and I was stressing to figure out what to prepare.  I have minimal baking experience.  So I needed something easy and straightforward and most of all tasty!  I stumbled upon this recipe and it was a hit.  It’s one of my Bear’s fave fall recipes — and he loves cream cheese.  It was a great compromise for flavor (cheese cake is appalling to me, but it’s my Bear’s fave) and texture.  For all the new bakers out there, give this recipe a try (see link at the bottom: huge props to The Novice Chef for this outstanding recipe!).

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yield: 18 MUFFINS

prep time: 12 MINUTES

cook time: 18 MINUTES

total time: 30 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS:

• FOR THE MUFFINS
• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin (pure pumpkin puree)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

• FOR THE FROSTING/SWIRL
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place paper baking cups into muffin pan. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, pumpkin spice, baking soda and salt until well combined. Set aside.
3. In large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, sugar and brown sugar.
4. Beat in eggs, vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Slowly whisk in the flour mixture, until there are no lumps. Fill muffin tins 3/4 full.
5. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add in sugar, egg yolk and vanilla extract and beat until well combined.
6. Top each muffin with about 1 tablespoon of cream cheese mixture and use a toothpick to swirl it into the batter. This will not look smooth, but it will bake up much prettier.
7. Bake muffins for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

© The Novice Chef – http://www.thenovicechefblog.com/2015/11/pumpkin-cream-cheese-swirl-muffins/

Healthy dessert

My new favorite indulgence….