Greek Yogurt Pumpkin Cake

Greek yogurt is SO in right now.  It’s a great healthy replacement for butter in cake recipes and actually makes the cake very moist.

This recipe is delicious,  low-fat and super easy to make.

Ingredients:

For Cake:

• 1 15 ounce can of pumpkin purée
• 1 cup low-fat greek yogurt
• 4 egg whites
• 1 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

For Icing:

• 6 ounces low-fat cream cheese (at room temperature)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans

Directions:

For Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease a 9 by 11 glass baking dish.
2. Mix together pumpkin, yogurt, egg whites, sugar and vanilla.
3. Add in the baking powder, baking soda, flour salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix well at a low speed.
4. Pour batter into the baking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes (until a toothpick comes out clean from the center)
5. Let cool completely before icing the cake

For Icing:

1. Cream together the cream cheese and vanilla with a mixer
2. Slowly add in the powdered sugar
3. Spread mixture evenly over the cake
4. Top with the pecans

Baked Oatmeal (…with Strawberries, Bananas & Chocolate Chips)

How often are things THIS pretty, THIS delicious and THIS healthy?!?

Say hello to my new favorite breakfast.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped walnut pieces (optional)
• 1 cup sliced strawberries
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips
• 2 cups almond milk (you can use regular milk as well if you’d like)
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 banana, cut into 1/2 inch slices

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F
2. Spray a 10-1/2 by 7 inch baking dish with non-stick spray
3. In a bowl, mix together the oats, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, walnuts, half the strawberries and half the chocolate
4. In a separate bowl, whisk the milk, egg, butter and vanilla
5. Put the oat mixture in the baking dish
6. Arrange the remaining strawberries, chocolate chips and the sliced banana on top
7. Pour the milk mixture over.  Using a fork, gently poke at the oats to make sure the milk mixture is fully incorporated into the oats
8. Bake for 35 minutes
9. Dig in! Oh..and it’s super yummy if you eat it while it’s still warm 🙂

Product Review: Arctic Zero

A healthy alternative…because like I always say, we can’t stuff our faces with butter and sugar ALL the time.

Contrary to how it may appear from some of my recent recipe postings (ahem..Birthday Cake Oreo Funfetti Cheesecake), I do try to keep a balanced and healthy lifestyle. Instead of indulging in something every day, I like to treat myself to something decadent once or twice a week. In theory, this is great. In reality, most nights at around 9 my sweet tooth kicks in with a vengeance.  I picked up a pint of Arctic Zero several weeks ago at Whole Foods because I honestly didn’t believe the pint could have only 150 calories and I figured it was worth a try.

How they managed to make the entire pint so low in calories and carbs but keeping a rich flavor is beyond me.  I don’t care how they did it, all I know is that I will have this stocked in my freezer 24/7.

Find locations where Arctic Zero is sold near you here.

These little babies are now a staple in my house and will be my go-to dessert when I get that sugar itch.  My favorite flavor is Vanilla Maple 🙂

Try it out and let me know what your favorite flavor is!

Healthy & Delicious Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip!

I wish I could take credit for this because it’s kind of uhh..brilliant…BUT this is the brain child of Kris over at Young Married Chic.

I can’t lie, I had my doubts about this one.  I wasn’t convinced that chick peas could be transformed into anything resembling cookie dough but I was pleasantly surprised. I’m a huge fan of this snack because it was easy to make, required minimal ingredients and because it satisfied my sweet tooth without completely jumping off the healthy bandwagon I’ve been on lately.

You can find the recipe here.

Enjoy 🙂

Banana Oatmeal Coconut Muffins!

I love these. I really, really do.

These babies were a product of boredom + me having a lot of random ingredients lying around + a craving for muffins.

They’re pretty dense so the best way to describe them would be a hybrid of a muffin and oatmeal bar. Oh, and the best part of it all….they’re semi/kinda/a little bit healthy. Woo hoo.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2)
• 1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup condensed milk
• 1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 egg white
• 1/2 cup brown sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Combine everything and mix well
3. Spray muffin tins with non-stick spray
4. Bake for 18-20 minutes

Chocolatey Date Truffles

Before I begin, this is a healthy dessert. So, if you’re one of those anti-healthy, non-working out, naturally skinny freaks…stop reading now. Oh, and I hate you.

If you’ve made it to this paragraph, I’m sorry.  But, like you, I also have to work at being healthy and eating right. My weakness, as you may have guessed, is sweets. Generally, I’m not one to take the healthy route…I like butter and I’M NOT AFRAID TO USE IT.  There are those times, however, when you have that craving but don’t want to completely ruin your healthy streak.  These little truffles are perfect because they actually taste really good (trust me..I don’t lie about things like this), are actually healthy (no sugar, eggs, or flour!) and are easy to make. Enjoy!

My dad..trying to look candid but very clearly posing for the picture I forced him to take.

I made a few changes so my recipe is below but you can find Food Network’s original one here.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried, pitted dates (chopped in small pieces)
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons agave syrup (or honey)
• 2 tablespoons cashew butter (or peanut butter)
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 full sheets reduced fat honey graham crackers, finely ground
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 sliced or slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup dried sweetened coconut (for coating)

Directions:

1. Combine dates, water and lemon juice in a medium saucepan.  Simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes.  Break up and large piece of date with a spoon.
2. Stir in agave syrup, cashew butter, cocoa powder, butter and salt.  Stir until well combined.
3. Stir in graham cracker, oats and almonds.  Remove from heat.
4. Mist a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.  Drop rounded tablespoons of mixture on to baking sheet.  Refrigerate for about 15 minutes.
5. Put coconut flakes in a small bowl and roll truffles to coat.
6. Keep truffles in an airtight container and keep refrigerated.