Healthier Brownies

So, I've been looking for a healthier brownie recipe. I've tried lots of recipes with black beans, others with avocados, but have never been really happy with them. I think I've finally found what I'm looking for. I took an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie bar recipe and just added cocoa (well, actually, cacao powder). It's not the healthiest thing out there because it has brown sugar. I haven't tried it with honey or another substitution, but it's miles ahead of regular cookies and brownies, right? And the best part is that I've made these a few times and my kids have no idea they have beans in them. Update: the last time I made these, I wasn't too excited about them. I did find another healthier brownie I like.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine in food processor:

1 can beans (I used white this time), drained and rinsed
1/4 c. cacao powder
1/2 cup quick oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 dates, pitted
1/8 cup applesauce
1 1/2 TB oil
1/4 tsp each salt and baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla

Then add 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips and stir them in by hand.

Put in a square baking dish; bake 35 mins.

Tortilla Soup (vegetarian!)

This is a recipe that I am excited to make again and again. So much goodness, smells amazing, and is yummy. Max loved it too. Thank you for sharing, Lizzy!!!

Instant Pot Refried Beans

I basically followed this recipe but changed a couple things.

Add to instant pot:
1 1/2 pounds dry pinto beans, rinsed (but my family prefers black beans)
8 cups water
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 jalapeño, cored, seeded and finely chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, finely minced (or equivalent amount of granulated or dried garlic)
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 TB olive oil

Instant Pot high for 40 min. This makes a really good "just bean" soup--this is my lunch today. I plan to blend them (the recipe says to drain but reserve liquid in case some needs to be added back in) tonight for burritos with homemade tortillas for the family. The original recipe says low-sodium broth, but I didn't have it, and I left everything else the same, and I like the salt content.


Another recipe for black beans:

2 cups black beans

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Sprinkled garlic powder

3 1/4 cups water

40 min and natural release

Chicken Pot Pie

This is my favorite pot pie and it's a bit labor intensive. I use an 8x11 (2 qt. pan) and put the crust only on the top. It's a nice neighbor meal, I think. I try not to think about how much butter and white flour goes into it when Livvy requests it.

Preheat oven to 425.

First, peel and cut a few potatoes in bite size pieces. Chop 1/3 cup onion too. Cook these in boiling water for 10 min or so. Potatoes take longer to cook than everything else, and we want tender onions at all costs, too! Drain and set aside. 

If cooking chicken, start that now too in another pan (I don't like boiled/shredded chicken much):

2 1/2 cups chopped chicken (saute/fry some up in a bit of olive oil or use a can of chicken in a hurry)

Filling (using the potato/onion saucepan, start with melting butter on stovetop and whisk in flour, etc. When it's good and thick, add the chicken and veggies, including potatoes/onions.

1/3 c. butter

1/3 c. flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 3/4 c. chicken broth (I usually just do a can)

1/2 cup milk

2 cups frozen mixed veggies

Pour mixture in pan.

Crust topping:

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup plus 1 TB shortening (the original recipe really had it this way)

2-3 TB cold water

Use pastry cutter to mix, roll out and then use pizza cutter to make strips for lattice or just chunks on top or cookie cutter cute shapes. 

Bake 30 min or until it's bubbly and crust is as golden brown as desired.

Powerballs

Here are the first ones I made. Oh, and the almond joy ones are even better, but the list of ingredients is forever long! I tried subbing some of the honey for dates last time and it wasn't the same.

These ones are healthier because they use dates instead of honey.

Here's my mashup of the two Almond Joy ones:

In food processor: 

3 oz. dates
1 c. almond butter
1/4 c. honey (or less)
2 TB almond milk
1/2 TB coconut extract

1.5 c. quick oats (or rolled oats broken down in blender)
1/2 c. coconut, unsweetened
1 scoop chocolate or vanilla protein powder
2 TB cocoa
1/4 tsp salt

Chicken Rub--Chicken Salad

I love this recipe especially for the yummy chicken rub that I use all the time. Great flavor and no sugar.

Mom originally made the salad when I was visiting--it's a cobb salad with yummy honey mustard dressing, tomatoes, boiled eggs, bacon, greens, corn, all the works. I need to take my own picture when we have it next, but tonight we're just having the grilled chicken with mashed potatoes and the salad the kids love best: iceberg lettuce, cucumbers, peppers and Olive G*rden dressing. I'll be having cauliflower, spinach and quinoa with my chicken.

Karin's Berry Torte

My kids liked this better than my regular cheesecake. We had it for Dad's birthday.

For 2 storebought crusts, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Blend in blender:
4 eggs
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
Pour in crusts. Bake 30 min. and let cool.

While that's cooling, combine these in a saucepan and boil over medium-high heat:
16 oz package frozen berries (but reserve about 1/4 of the package for later)
1/8 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1/6 cup sugar (I'm halving it, so 1/4 or 1/8 cup depending on what kind of berries you're using/how sweet they are)
Once thickened, take off heat and add the reserved frozen berries to cool it.

Put the berry topping over the cheesecake layer and chill.

Serve with whipped cream or cool whip.




Here's a blueberry one that I'm taking from a friend:

Blueberry Cheesecake Pie

Crumb Crust:
9 large rectangular graham crackers (about 1 1/2 cups) crushed (My food processor makes crushing crackers so easy!)
2 TBSP sugar
6 TBSP melter butter

For the cheese custard:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
Freshly grated zest from 1 lemon

For the berries:
2 cups blueberries, rinsed (you could also use frozen ones, a staple in my freezer)
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 TBSP corn starch, mixed with 2 TBSP cold water

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  In a small bowl, combine the crushed graham crackers, sugar and butter.  Pat the crumb mixture into a 9 inch pie pan and bake for 8 minutes, until very lightly browned and set.  Let the crust cool completely before filling.  Leave the oven on.

Meanwhile, make the cheese custard:  in a medium bow,, combine the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla and beat until thoroughly mixed and smooth.  Add the eggs and beat well.  Stir in the lemon zest.  Pour into the cooled shell and bake until just set, 25-30 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool completely.

While the custard is cooking, combine the berries, water, and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and add the cornstarch mixture.  Return to a boil and cook for one minute, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thickened.  Remove from the heat and cool until tepid.


Spoon the berries over the cooled custard.  Chill for at least one hour before serving.