Good morning folks and welcome back to Monday. Sometimes I cringe just saying that word but this morning I’m fairly optimistic that this will be a good day and week! I had a fabulous weekend and in just 5 more days…we will all have another. Positivity!!

WEEKEND RECAP: Friday night the hubby and I had a “date.” We went to an Irish pub called the Claddagh Irish Pub and ate some yummy food. I ordered a veggie burger that was SO gigantic it literally seeped over the side of the bun by 2 inches all around.  What did I do?? I took the bottom half of the unbuttered side and a third of the burger, making my own littler version (is littler a word?).

This was after I took apart some of the burger; Brandon ate 1/3 of it, along with his unneccessarily large 1/2 lb steak burger (he demolished the WHOLE thing!)

My waitress was looking at me funny but this is what I concocted; 1/3 of the patty + bottom burger bun split in half = reasonable portion!

When we finally got home… I baked. I have decided that baking is the perfect way to wind down from a busy work week. I love getting lost in a recipe, meticulously measuring out ingredients, and testing out what I’ve created. I don’t even mind the clean up! It’s all very therapeutic!

When I first started this blog, I had glorious images of myself  whipping up healthy baked goods with the greatest of ease, using recipes that I magically recreated into a healthier version. REALITY CHECK!

 What I have LEARNED since; baking is ridiculously difficult when altering recipes into healthier versions. Then you have to get them to taste “delicious?” Forget it.

 As it turns out, most of  the healthier baked good recipes I think up in my head leave me SO turned off after I’m done that I usually end up pitching them and making brownies ha. Call me crazy but butter is the ingredient that makes dessert worth eating…it just IS!! I would much rather have a teeny slice of a full fat dessert, then eat cookies that look, taste, and FEEL like rubber. Although I have had SOME successes with fruit based desserts (apple crisps, carrot cake, etc), most things are just better without the substitutions. Strictly speaking in terms of baked goods!!

 Now that I have given that spiel, I present Peanut Butter and Jam Bars. They contain 2 FULL sticks of butter. Believe me, it’s not easy to justify using this much butter…that’s why I halved the recipe.

I found these bars last week on the blog Every Last Cookie. Her pictures are something worth drooling over and once I finally got to sink my teeth into a bar, they tasted exactly like a PB and J! They were not super “desserty,” so I did what any rational person would do: I added a glob of Nutella to finish off this masterpiece.

Quite the delicate crumb

My ultimate combo is chocolate and peanut butter. What is yours!!???

I finished up with some DELICIOUS organic strawberries! (That can't be as bad as people who order a large Big Mac Meal and follow it up with a diet coke?? Can it!??)

Hope you enjoy your Monday and dream about how fantastic these will be once you make them!! I’m addicted!!

Peanut Butter and Jam Bars by Every Last Cookie

• 2 sticks of butter, room temperature
• 3 cups Flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups creamy natural peanut butter
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups jam (I used organic strawberry jam from The Fresh Market)
• 2/3 cup salt peanuts, roughly chopped (I used 1/4 cup natural walnuts)
• Add nutella per piece if you dare

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 x 13″ pan. Then line the pan with parchment paper and either grease the parchment or spray with cooking spray, then dust the bottom with flour.

Beat together butter and sugar until fluffy (~2 minutes) and then add in the eggs and peanut butter, beating until combined (~2 minutes). If you are using natural peanut butter, I suggest letting it sit out for awhile until it gets to room temperature. It’s much easier to mix.

Whisk salt, baking powder, and flour together and slowly add to the peanut butter mixture until combined. Stir in the vanilla and transfer 2/3 of the mixture to the prepared pan, spreading evenly. Spread the jam on top and dollop the remaining 1/3 of the peanut butter mixture on top. Sprinkle with nuts and bake for 45 minutes.

Makes 3 dozen bars.

I would love to try a lower fat/calorie version of these bars. Any good bakers out there up to the challenge?? I would try but baking isn’t exactly my best skill.

Around the Blogosphere:

• Diet, Desserts, and Dogs is hosting a contest to win a free cookbook!! Hurry and Enter!!

I HAVE A PROBLEM! Sweets are good; period. The End.

The second step is asking for help.

HELP! I’m addicted!!!

The third step is actually doing something about it…??

BAKE!!!???? Instead of completely fighting it, I would rather just practice moderation and so I present to you…the creation of French Toast Crumble.

Sweet, cinnamon, luscious, sugary, delectable, lovable, delightful, palate pleasing, decadent, wicked, dynamite....are those enough describing words? Thesaurus.com

 I’ve always wanted to make a French toast casserole but I just never got around to it. Well, yesterday God must’ve been giving me a kick in the rear because as I was searching through the Pioneer Woman’s site I stumbled upon a French toast casserole recipe that literally had me salivating and I wanted to create my own!!

Making French toast is one of the best ways to get rid of old bread. There’s nothing like crusty bread dipped in a cinnamony egg wash, sizzled on the skillet. SUPERB! We had a half loaf of $.79 Italian bread that I just couldn’t bring myself to waste (you would think I grew up in the Depression).

The Healthy Apron’s French Toast Crumble was born and let me tell you it was super rich and sinful (without the whole milk, heavy cream, and 3/4 cup of butter!!). Even my own sweet tooth could barely handle this one. I couldn’t believe Brandon went back for seconds! My suggestion? Pair a reasonable serving with an ice cold glass of skim and a bowl of fruit. Moderation after all.

Would you like a slice???

Fresh pineapple, strawberries, blackberries, and banana slices!!

French Toast Crumble

Serves 6

• 1/2 loaf of crusty bread…whether it be $.79 Italian or a $6 whole grain loaf from Great Harvest…just make sure it’s hearty!
• 4 eggs OR lighten it up by using 2 eggs and 4 egg whites (we didn’t have that many eggs!!)
• 1 1/4 cup 1% milk
• 3 T granulated sugar
• 1 T Pure vanilla extract

Spray an 8 x8 ” glass baking dish heavily with cooking spray and cut up loaf into 1 inch cubes. Throw the cubes into the dish. Meanwhile, mix together eggs, sugar, milk, and vanilla and pour over the bread. Set in fridge overnight or for at least an hour! While that is in the fridge, let’s put together the crumble!!

• 2 T Flour
• 2 T whole oats
• 2 T oat flour
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1-2 T COLD unsalted butter

Mix all ingredients together and cut in the butter until crumbly. I originally used too much butter (2-3 T) and it turned out less crumbly and more like a paste. So my BEST suggestion is to start with LESS (1-2 T) and add until you get a crumbly consistency. Set aside.

Once you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and sprinkle the crumble over the egg/bread mix. Give the top one more sprinkle of cinnamon and bake in the oven for ~45 minutes!

I think next time I would try to sprinkle some crushed pecans!! Just for some extra decadence!! You could also add a layer of fresh fruit! Use your imagination!!

Nutritional Profile (per serving): 286 calories, 10 g fat (4.4 g sat), 42 g carbohydrate, 1.7 g Fiber, 21 g Sugars, 10.4 g protein, 197 mg cholesterol

 I am NOT considering this a healthy dish BUT as long as you don’t make this every weekend, I don’t see why you can’t go ahead and indulge a little. Trust me, you won’t regret it!

MMmmmMMmm Good.

QUESTION:  What is your favorite breakfast indulgence and are you going to try this!!!!!!????????

Carrot cake is one of those desserts that leave me with a nostalgic memory from my childhood. In my family, this was the one dessert that only my Dad and I liked.  So whenever I have it,  I am always reminded of when my Dad and I used to go out and split a slice without telling Mom. I loved the fact that it was something only he and I shared. And while I know it’s a little thing, when you come from a family of 6, you relish over any tiny nitch that makes YOU stand out over your siblings (which yes, I have three brothers). 

     I am not usually a low-fat dessert lover but I honestly believe that if a cookie or dessert involves fruit or vegetables…the fat can be lowered without compromising taste or texture too much. So, when I was browsing through the internet and saw Carrot Cake Sandwich Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting from The Cozy Kitchen, I was drooling AND cringing at the thought of the caloric nightmare! I knew I had to try the recipe but also thought of ways to make it “lighter,” while still keeping the flavor. It couldn’t be THAT hard right? This is what I did.

      Instead of using a whole stick of butter, I cut out a 1/3 of the fat completely and added just 3 T of margarine. To supplement the rest of the fat, I added mashed banana and baby carrot food. I also decided to skip the “sandwich” part, frost the top, and garnish with leftover grated carrot. This way you can eat two separate cookies, tricking your brain to feel that you’re eating more.  I would strongly recommend waiting for the cookies to completely cool from the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack. Don’t be impatient, they are too soft when fresh out of the oven and will fall apart if not cooled completely.

     Once you finally have them frosted, you will notice how the banana and baby food kept the cookie moist and naturally sweetened. The texture is slightly spongy but they are still really chewy and possess a unique spice that blends the carrot/banana bread flavor nicely (I dunno, I’m not a master with the adjectives ha).  All I can say is if you love carrot cake, you will love these cookies and so will anyone you bake them for! Oh, and if you are thinking you could just skip the frosting, I feel sorry for your taste buds…it’s worth the extra 10ish calories, believe me!

Low-Fat Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Adapted from A Cozy Kitchen
Makes 3 Dozen cookies
3/4 cup Old Fashioned Oats
1 cup All-Purpose Flour
3/4 tsp Cinnamon
1/8 tsp Nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
3 T Land O’ Lakes Margarine
3 tsp carrot baby food
3 T mashed banana
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
3/4 cup grated carrot
1/4 cup raisins
Frosting:
From Cooking Light.com
1/3 cup (1/3 less fat) cream cheese, softened

1 T Country Crock Butter (or regular margarine)
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup flaked coconut or carrot (I used carrot)
Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grind oats in food processor or blender to make a fine flour and whisk together all dry ingredients in a small bowl (oats->salt)
3. Beat butter, banana, both sugars, and vanilla extract with electric mixer until creamy. Add egg and beat to combine, making sure to scrape down the sides. Stir in baby food. With mixer on low, gradually beat in flour (in 2 separate additions). Stir in carrots and raisins by hand, mixing just until combined. The dough is sticky.
4. Drop by tablespoon-fuls on baking sheet (space ~1/2″ apart). Bake, rotating the sheets once halfway through. Cookies should be golden brown and spring back when gently touched (~12 minutes). Cool completely on baking sheet and then transfer to wire rack before frosting.
5. Prepare frosting, I would suggest halving the recipe for the frosting because otherwise you will have a lot leftover.  I calculated the nutrition facts using only half of the full recipe anyway. Frost, using ~1 tsp per cookie, might be a little less but still pretty generous.  Garnish with grated carrot or coconut.
Nutritional Profile (per 2 cookies):
136.8 Calories, 3.0 g Fat (0.6 g sat.), 13 mg Cholesterol, 28.6 g Carbohydrate, 1.2 g Fiber, 3.6 g Protein, 5.4 g Sugars
*I eliminated almost 7 grams of fat (most of which was saturated!). I have to say I am pretty proud of this lower fat version!

Original Sandwich cookie (per 1 sandwich cookie): 183.6 Calories, 9.9 g Fat (6 g sat.), 37.7 mg Cholesterol,  24.5 g Carbohydrate, 1.2 g Fiber, 3.7 g sugar, 2 g protein
*This is just an estimate, assuming that all the frosting was used and the cookies were exactly 1 tablespoon.

Even though I am not the world’s greatest baker, I still get delighted when I have the chance to bake for my friends. I have always been enthusiastic about dessert recipes that call for oats and especially chocolate.  So when I discovered a recipe for triple chocolate chunk oatmeal cookies, my interest was peaked and Friday night I was in the kitchen baking. I wanted to alter the recipe just slightly, so I cut about half the fat and replaced it with applesauce and also relaced 1/4 cup of white chocolate chips with craisins. The reason I chose applesauce as my fat substitute is because I have experimented in college with adding applesauce to replace the fat in oatmeal cookies and it seems to work out well. The major difference is that the texture is typically more chewy and can fall apart easily if you are not careful.

       The batter was very chocolaty and reminded me more of chocolate fudge than a cookie batter. It tasted amazing though, no trace of apple flavor, so sampling is a must!! (I know salmonella…but I never have the willpower to resist!) I used a tablespoon for measure so that I could accurately calculate calorie and fat content. A tablespoon ended up making the perfect size cookie though! If you want to make a cookie that has a denser texture, try forming the dough into tablespoon-sized little balls and then place on the baking sheet. I found the cookies held up better this way and they had more bite to them.

    These were slightly difficult to get off the cookie pan. I did not use any cooking spray but I don’t think it would have helped.  You just have to let them sit on the baking sheet for at least 2-3 minutes and allow time to set and cool before going on a wire rack to finish cooling. Just be very careful and have patience. They will not come apart if you are gentle. 
     I brought these to my friends yesterday and everyone seemed to enjoy them because I only left with 3 little cookies in my container. These are definitely for the chocolate lover and are the perfect way to satisfy your chocolate craving for the Valentine’s Day season. HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!!

 Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Craisin Cookies
Adapted recipe from Triple Chocolate Chunk Cookies from Confections of a Serial Baker Blog
Makes 2 1/2 dozen, 1 T each

 5 T softened butter
3 T applesauce, unsweetened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup craisins
1/4 cup milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup milk chocolate chunks

Directions
1. Preheat 350 degrees
2. Beat the butter and sugars until creamy, add in applesauce, beat until smooth
3. Add egg and vanilla, beat well.
4. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in separate bowl and gradually add to butter mixture, mix well.
5. Stir in oats, craisins, and chocolate chips until well incorporated
6. Bake 12 minutes, cool on pan ~1-3 minutes, remove and place on wire rack to finish cooling.
Nutrition Profile 1 cookie (1 T each): 76 calories, 3.1g fat (1.8g sat., 0.3g poly, 1.0g mono), 14g carbohydrate, 1.2g fiber, 2.2g sugar, 1.2 g protein

I am a HUGE fan of banana bread. I really do not think a person can go wrong when they whip up this tasty treat. I just made a banana nut bread recipe last weekend but it did not fill my banana nut bread void. The last recipe I tried had a strong apple flavor because I substituted applesauce for the fat and it basically overwhelmed the banana flavor. In this recipe, all the flavors were right. The bread was moist enough to melt in your mouth and contained bursts of banana-y goodness ( descriptive, I know ha).
 PLEASE try this recipe today! You will not regret it! I must give credit to the blog of Joy the Baker. She constructed this recipe from a Weight Watchers version and I have had the urge to try it for several weeks now. I added walnuts to her original version because I love the crunch and addition of healthy fats to the recipe. The walnuts do add a few additional calories and grams of fat but it’s healthy fat that your heart will thank you for!  So, whether you want to add a slice to you breakfast in the morning paired with a glass of milk and some fruit OR savor a slice as an afternoon snack, you simply cannot go wrong.

     The aroma from the oven is devine, so be prepared to have your mouth watering when this bread leaves the oven. I’m surprised I had the willpower to cut and photograph without trying a slice first

      Trying my best to capture the crispy crust and moist center. Yum yum yum…

 Oatmeal Banana Nut Bread
Adapted from JoytheBaker
1 1/4 c. All-Purpose Flour
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 tsp canola oil
1 large egg, beaten
2 medium egg whites, beaten
4 medium overripe bananas
1 c. uncooked Old Fashioned Oats
1/3 c. chopped walnuts
Preheat the oven 350 degrees and spray 1 loaf pan with cooking spray. Combine all dry ingredients including the oats and cinnamon. Mash bananas in a separate bowl, adding the oil and 1 whole egg. Mix thoroughly. Add the wet ingredients into the dry flour mixture. Mix well, forms a thick batter. With a hand mixer, beat the egg whites until medium stiff peaks form. Fold the whites into the batter in three separate additions. Fold in chopped walnuts last. Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake 45-50 mins. Allow to cool 5 minutes and then flip out onto a wire rack.
Nutritional information per slice (10 slices per loaf): 221 calories, 5.4 grams fat (0.8 grams saturated fat), 44.8 grams carbs, 3.5 g fiber, 5.3 grams protein

Usually I avoid granola bars because typically they’re just a glorified candy bar; lots of sugar and low in protein and fiber. I have found that Kashi brand granola bars are probably one of the better options, with more fiber and protein, but if you don’t want to spend $3.50 for a box of 6, then it might be a good idea to try and make your own! I have made granola bars without sugar before and to me, they were incredibly tasty. However, since I did not want to scare people away at the thought of a sugar-less bar, I decided to start with this next recipe. Plus, it looked amazing!

    I found the original recipe at SmittenKitchen.com for Thick, Chewy Granola Bars and I was lured into attempting my own version. I ended up replacing half the butter with mashed banana and using 2 T of canola oil instead of corn syrup because I wanted to be cautious (I’m still new at this baking business).

    The result was a nourishing bar that was both moist and chewy, with just the right amount of crunch. Truly, they make a delectable snack that will leave you feeling full, with about 3 grams of fiber per square!  If you are watching your weight, be mindful of your portions. I think that adding only 1 cup of dried fruit/nuts and decreasing the peanut butter and sugar would not compromise the taste too much, so I appreciate hearing if you try this! I would not advise omitting the peanut butter completely, as I felt it really added a great flavor! I will work to lower the sugar content of these for next time.

    I also highly recommend these granola bars for parents. I think the recipe is a fantastic way to get kids to help in the kitchen and are an excellent source of whole grains and other important nutrients, without artificial ingredients. They can even help those parents struggling to get their children to gain weight.*

 Chewy Oatmeal Peanut Butter Granola Bars
Adapted from SmittenKitchen.com
1 bar per serving, 16 servings per batch

1 2/3 cup Old Fashioned Oats
1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup Oat flour (or grind 1/3 cup of oats in blender or food processor)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 cups dried fruit
     *1/3 cup craisins, 2/3 cup raisins, 1/3 cup sunflower seeds, 1/3 cup pecan halves, 1/3 cup walnut halves
*Experiment with different combinations of nuts and fruit!1/3 cup natural peanut butter
*Optional additive

Mix the above ingredients in large bowl.

1 tsp vanilla extract
3 T Butter or Margarine
3 T mashed banana (equivalent to about 1 small banana)
1/4 cup honey
2 T Canola oil
1 T water
Mix above ingredients in separate bowl, stir well.
Directions:
Preheat oven 350 degrees. After you have combined dry ingredients in one bowl and wet ingredients in another, add the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until a crumbly batter forms.

    Place in an 8 x 8″ pan lined with parchment paper (spray parchment with cooking spray) and bake 30-40 minutes. Remove from the oven once the top is golden brown but is still slightly “undone.” Place pan on cooling rack, cool 20 minutes and then remove the parchment from pan. Continue to let cool. Slice into 16 equal squares once bars have completely cooled (they are excellent warm but will fall apart if sliced too soon). Wrap each individually in saran wrap for the perfect afternoon snack or seal in airtight container.

As you can see the bars may be small but thick, which makes them deceivingly filling.

Nutritional Profile per bar: 180 calories, 8.3 g fat (1.1 g sat., 4.1 g poly, 3.1 g mono), 32 g carbohydrate, 3.2 g fiber, 2.6 g protein, 12 g sugar (high, I know…)
Good source of Vitamin E, Copper, Magnesium, and Phosphorus.
Iron: 7.4 %
Manganese: 62%

*On a daily basis, I consult with parents who have children struggling with adequate weight gain and fall in to the category of “underweight.” This refers to the child falling below the 5th percentile on the growth charts. This can sound scary to some parents and the tendency is to take offense and feel as if they have done something wrong as a parent.
    I encourage parents NOT to feel this way, as there are more reasons than improper parenting that lead to underweight.  After ruling out any underlying condition that might be preventing weight gain, take in to consideration activity level of the child, texture aversions, picky eaters, etc. The fact is, most children would rather not interrupt play time for a snack or meal. So it’s up to the parents to come up with ways to make snacking fun and encourage snacks every 1-2 hours. Children below the 5 th percentile risk malnutrition and can develop improper bone growth, weakened immune system, or anemia.
    Looking to healthy fats is a great way to promote weight gain. Whole milk, Olive or Canola oil, nuts, natural peanut butter, and dried fruits are excellent snacks to encourage weight GAIN.  The recipe above is terrific for kids because it tastes good and a small portion (~2″ x 2″) packs about 180 calories a square! Paired with a glass of whole milk, you have a wholesome after school snack that could potentially add an additional 300-400 calories to their daily diet!!