Fat Loss Approved Mint Chocolate Brownies

Here is another phenomenal recipe by Becki over at Training Wheels: Fat Loss Approved Mint Chocolate Brownies. As usual, I didn't have the exact ingredients laying around, but was dying to try somewhat interested in these brownies tonight :-) So, I made some adjustments, and will post both the original recipe, and the recipe I ended up creating. But first, how 'bout a picture to make you drool?



 

 

 

 

 

 

ORIGINAL RECIPE | MY CHANGES

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Ingredients
1. 4 eggs, beaten or egg replacer | 4 whole eggs
2. Five dropperfuls vanilla stevia liquid
3. One to two second pour real peppermint extract (should not contain corn syrup or agave)
4. 1/2c pumpkin puree, unsweetened
5. 1 pureed zucchini (add a second for additional moisture) | I completely omitted this and added unsweetened shredded coconut instead!
6. 2/3 cup dark cocoa powder, unsweetened. Go here for some great information on the health benefits of cocoa, posted by Metabolic Effect!

7. I added a 7th ingredient: 1 whole 100% cacao bar (Ghirardelli)

{Grease a glass 8x8 pan with coconut oil liberally} | I obviously used a disposable foil.

1. Beat the eggs, stevia, and peppermint in a bowl with a whisk
2. Chop the zucchini, and add to a blender or food processer with a small amount of water. Blend until smooth
3. Pour the zucchini puree into the egg mixture, and add the pumpkin. Mix very well with a rubber spatula, scraping the sides of the bow until the mixture is well blended
4. Gradually add the cocoa powder to the mixture a little bit at a time until well blended
5. Batter should be smooth, but not too thin. If the batter seems too watery, you can add more cocoa powder until it reaches brownie batter consistency.

6. Melt 100% cacao bar over low heat, then pour into batter

7. Pour batter into greased 8x8 pan, and bake at 350 degrees for an hour. Check for doneness. If the batter is pulling away from the side of the pan, and the center is firm, you can remove it, and allow it to rest. I usually end up baking it for about 1 hr 15 minutes due to high moisture content of the batter. | I ended up only cooking for about 45 mins; I think my pan was a different size, so be sure to continually watch it if your pan size is slightly different from what we used!

ENJOY! xoxo

Healthier Sugar Cookies!

I owe all of this to Becki over at Training Wheels! She came up with this recipe, and I altered just a couple things based on what I had around the kitchen for experimentation!

<~~~~  Look at that thing!

 

1. Beat 3 whole eggs in a bowl, then slowly add in almond meal until it resembles the consistency you desire (you want it somewhat thick...see below)



 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Add in any extracts you want! I used a little butterscotch and vanilla extracts (you want to make sure your extracts do not contain corn syrup).

3. Stevia to taste. Then keep mixing thoroughly

4. ADJUSTMENTS: I'd add melted butter next time, for a little softer texture, and maybe some cinnamon!

5. Put on cookie sheet and then press with fork so that you feel like you're eating PB cookies, lol!  Bake at 350* for about 15-20 mins (watch em carefully because the thickness will determine cooking time)

Protein Peanut Butter Cups

Yes, can you believe it? Here is a healthier alternative for satisfying a "need" for PB cups! Recipe below....

 1. Combine your favorite chocolate protein powder with a little coconut milk (canned, not carton) and stevia to taste, until the consistency sort of resembles cake batter.

2. Spoon about 1 tsp peanut butter (the ingredients for this should be only peanuts & salt) into cupcake holes/muffin tins (whatever you wanna call 'em!) and then pour the protein powder & coconut milk mixture over the PB in each hole.

3.  Stick pan in freezer for about 30-45 mins, then enjoy! You can store in the freezer and eat the others whenever, but after about an hour or so, they'll become impossibly hard to bite unless you let them thaw for about 5 mins or so. HAVE FUN! xoxo

Pumpkin Pie Eggs

Ok guys, I realize this picture looks really awful, but I promise it tastes exactly like pumpkin pie, and you have no idea you're eating eggs! It took less than 2 mins to prepare:

Crack eggs into the pan on low/medium heat, and while they cook, take a separate bowl and add the following: couple TBSP pure pumpkin, couple TBSP pure sweet potato (using organic canned options is much easier, just make sure there are NO other additional ingredients than what I just listed), 1/4 tsp cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a quick drop of vanilla extract. Stir/mix, then add to the eggs when there is about 1 minute left of cooking & continue scrambling. Sprinkle pure Stevia crystals (in the packet, or powder form) on top after removing from heat, and you have yourself a whole new way of eating eggs.

Be mindful that if you are eating for fat loss, you do NOT want to go overboard on the pumpkin & sweet potato. If you're not currently on any exercise program, scale back the amount to about 2 tsp of each. You don't need that much to be able to create the pumpkin pie taste!

 

Enjoy!