For the love of Dessert!

Hi, my name is Katrina and I am addicted to dessert.  I am a person that loves to go from salty to sweet, to salty to sweet, you get it?  After I finish my lunch or dinner I immediately go to the pantry to grab something sweet to get the food taste out of my mouth.  I knew that I did this before but since I have started tracking what I eat on Sparkpeople I have realized I have a huge sweets problem.  I love dessert!  I think it is fine to have dessert.  But here is the next problem, I love to bake!  I love to try new recipes and bake, but then I eat and eat and eat the dessert all gone.....that is bad dessert.  So I have been looking for better dessert options and have tried a few I like and have less calories.  It still might have less calories unless you eat 10 of them!  Bake, eat one and give away the rest that is the diagnosis to my problem, my neighbors are going to love me!

Here is a few lighter dessert recipes for ya!  Enjoy!  Remember to check back in next week for our weigh-in results.

First is a flourless peanut butter cookies.  These cookies were great and I think better than some peanut butter cookies I have tried with flour.  They clock in a little over 100 calories per cookies.  If you minus the chocolate it would be less, but who would want to do that.?

Flourless Peanut-Chocolate Cookies

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg (lightly beaten)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. In a large bowl, stir together 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 large egg (lightly beaten), 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until well combined. Stir in 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips and 1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts.
2. With moistened hands, roll dough, about 1 heaping tablespoon at a time, into balls. Place 2 inches apart on two baking sheets.
3. Bake until cookies are golden and puffed, 12 to 14 minutes, rotating sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through. Cool 5 minutes on sheets; transfer cookies to racks to cool completely.

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

Double Chocolate Cupcakes

We ate these for Brinner (Breakfast at Dinner time)  I think they have more of a muffin texture than cupcake, but still tasted great and my girls loved them!

Double Chocolate Cupcakes

2 tablespoons butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 egg white
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk (I used 1 % milk)
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon vinegar (I added this to the 1% milk to make my own buttermilk)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and egg white, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat on high speed until light and fluffy. Stir in the buttermilk, water, vinegar and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add to batter just until moistened. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Fill muffin cups coated with cooking spray or paper liners three-fourths full. Bake at 375 for 15-18 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

YIELD: 14 cupcakes

Nutrition Facts: 1 cupcake equals 139 calories, 2 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 1 mg cholesterol, 221 mg sodium, 29 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 3 g protein.

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home Comfort Food Diet Cookbook

Triple Chocolate Brownies

This brownie has a surprising ingredient, black beans, yep you read right.  The pureed black beans replace some of the butter used in most brownies.  We had some mixed reviews at our household.  Brian and Audrey did not care to much for them.  Aria and I did not mind the taste.  If you enjoy dark chocolate these would be something to try.

Triple Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for baking pan
• 1/4 cup black beans, rinsed, drained, and pureed until completely smooth
• 3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (1/2 cup)
• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped (1/3 cup)
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs, plus 1 large egg white
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-inch square baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides. In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine butter, bean puree, and chocolates and microwave in 30-second increments, stirring each time, until melted and smooth, about 2 minutes. Whisk in sugar, eggs and egg white, and vanilla until smooth.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Stir into chocolate mixture until just combined. Pour batter into pan; smooth top. Bake until top is cracked and a toothpick inserted in center has moist crumbs attached, about 25 minutes (center will seem undercooked but will set further as it cools). Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Using parchment, lift brownie from pan and cut into 16 squares.

Cook's Note

Store in an airtight container, up to 3 days.

per brownie 155 calories; 7g fat (4g sat fat); 3g protein; 24g carb; 2g fiber

Recipe adapted from Everyday Food Magazine, The Light Issue

Eating Better and Moving More

During my last pregnancy with William, I hit every single holiday and splurged a little to much.  My figure has paid for it and I am trying to bounce back to a leaner me.  I don't want to be a stick figure by any means, just a little firmer in places.  I have been trying to exercise but always something pops up and gets in the way (like holidays and I hurt my toe and life in general).  Our friends the Grows were over one night and we were talking about exercise and then a few days later they asked if we wanted to have a weight lose competition and Brian and I said, Yes!  We started our weigh-in on January 3 and we have placed a bet whoever can lose the most weight over a few months will receive free babysitting for one night out on the town by the losing team.  Brian and I have been working hard so far and really not going on a diet but making better food choices and moving our bodies a little lot more.  With the help of sparkpeople also has helped us tremendously.  Below I have shared a few recipes we have partaken in over the last 2 weeks.  Sorry no pictures, but I have tried them and added to my recipe collection.

Tonight was our two week weigh-in   Katrina lost 4 pounds!  Brian lost 3 pounds! Oven-Baked Salmon Ingredients 12 ounce salmon fillet, cut into 4 pieces Coarse-grained salt Freshly ground black pepper Directions Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Season salmon with salt and pepper. Place salmon, skin side down, on a non-stick baking sheet or in a non-stick pan with an oven-proof handle. Bake until salmon is cooked through, about 12 to 15 minutes. SERVES: 4 Calories: 177 Total Fat: 11 grams Saturated Fat: 2.5 grams Protein: 17 grams Total carbohydrates: 0 grams Sugar: 0 grams Fiber: 0 grams Cholesterol: 47 milligrams Sodium: 170 milligrams Recipe adapted from Food Network Turkey Burgers 1 pound ground turkey 1 tablespoon McCormick Montreal Seasoning ( I didn't have this so I used the hamburger one) 1 1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce Cook in a little olive oil for 5 minutes per side.  Yield 4 patties Cafe Rio Chicken

• 2 lbs chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup zesty Italian dressing
• 1/2 Tbsp. minced garlic
• 1 pkt ranch dressing mix
• 1/4 cup of water
• 1/2 Tbsp. chili powder
• 1/2 Tbsp. ground cumin

1. Place chicken in a crock pot.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients and pour over the chicken.
3. Cook on High 5-6 hours OR on Low 8 hours.
4. Remove chicken from crock pot and shred.
5. Remove half the liquid from the crock pot and place in a bowl. Add the chicken to the crock pot and combine with the liquid left in the crock pot. You want the chicken nice and moist. Add more of the reserved liquid if needed.
6. Serve in tacos, burritos, salad, quesadillas, etc. I got two meals from this. I did tacos with some and quesadillas another time with the leftovers. This meat freezes well.

Recipe adapted from RealMom Kitchen

Bean and Pasta Soup

1 cup uncooked small pasta
2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups water
1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 1/4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 can (15 oz) white kidney or cannelloni beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups shredded fresh spinach
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Meanwhile, in a large nonstick saucepan, saute the celery, carrots, onion and garlic in oil for 5 minutes.  Stir in the water, tomatoes, broth, basil, rosemary, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until carrots are tender.

Drain pasta; stir into vegetable mixture.  Add the beans; heat through.  Stir int he spinach; cook until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Yield 5 servings

11/2 cups equals 218 calories, 5 g fat, 3 mg cholesterol, 588 mg sodium, 35 g carbohydrate, 7 g fiber, 9 g protein.

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home Comfort Food Cookbook Diet

Creamy Layered Squares

What You Need

1-1/2 cups boiling water

1 pkg. (0.6 oz.) JELL-O Strawberry Flavor Sugar Free Gelatin

Ice cubes

1 cup cold water

1-1/2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Sugar Free Whipped Topping, divided

Make It

ADD boiling water to gelatin mix in large bowl; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Add enough ice to cold water to measure 1-1/2 cups. Add to gelatin; stir until ice is completely melted. Remove 1-1/2 cups gelatin; set aside on counter. Refrigerate remaining gelatin 30 min. or until slightly thickened.

ADD 3/4 cup COOL WHIP to chilled thickened gelatin; whisk until well blended. Pour into 8-inch square dish. Refrigerate 15 min. or until gelatin mixture is set but not firm. Carefully pour reserved gelatin over creamy gelatin layer in dish.

REFRIGERATE 3 hours or until firm. Cut into squares; top with remaining COOL WHIP.

 

Substitute

Prepare using any flavor JELL-O Sugar Free Gelatin.

Substitute

Prepare using 2 pkg. (0.3 oz. each) JELL-O Strawberry Flavor Sugar Free Gelatin.

Gelatin Success Tip

To make JELL-O Gelatin that is clear and uniformly set, be sure the gelatin is completely dissolved in the boiling water before adding the cold liquid. Stirring with a rubber spatula will help ensure that all the crystals are dissolved.

Calories  35, Fat 1.5 g, Saturated fat 1.5 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 50 mg,Carbohydrate 4 g

Dietary fiber 0 g, Sugars 1 g, Protein1 g

    

Recipe adapted from Kraft Foods

Mixed Fruit Pizza

1 tube (8 oz) refrigerated reduced-fat crescent rolls
8 oz reduced fat cream cheese
1/2 cup apricot preserves
2 tablespoons confectioners sugar
Assorted fruit of choice (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, kiwi, bananas, etc.)

Unroll crescent roll dough and place in a 15 in x 10 in x 1 in baking pan coated with cooking spray.  Press onto the bottom and up the sides of pan to form a crust; seal seams and perforations.  Bake at 375  for 8-10 minutes or until golden.  Cool completely.

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth.  Beat in preserves and confectioners sugar; spread over crust.  Refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

Just before serving arrange the berries on top.  Cut into 20 pieces

Yield: 20 servings

1 piece equals 110 calories, 5 g fat, 9 mg cholesterol, 143 mg sodium, 15 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 3 g protein

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home Comfort Food Cookbook Diet