Carrot Cake with Creamy Frosting

This tasty little treat is just in time for Easter!

So my daughters 2nd birthday is this weekend and I was looking for a yummy recipe that was light on the sugar and BIG on flavor- so I combined 2 -3 different recipes and came up with this little treat. They are flavorful and filling, they are dense like a normal carrot cake and yet unusual with the addition of the lemon zest and nutmeg. You can make this in a loaf pan or cupcakes or perhaps even in a sheet cake. The frosting has no sugar and you can make it as sweet as you like by adding more or less honey.

Directions:

Super simple. Take out your cream cheese brick so it can soften while you prep. Combine your dry ingredients in a bowl, then your wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Then add your dry ingredients into your wet and mix thoroughly. Now, if you use a pan you may want to spray it first or rub some butter on it to prevent sticking, I used cupcake liners and it was fine, but if you are concerned about them sticking to the cupcake liners you can add 2 TBSP melted butter to the recipe. Bake them at 350 and keep an eye on them- cupcakes took about 15-18 minutes (use a toothpick to test them) and a loaf pan could take up to 50 minutes or more. Sorry I don't have better time estimates- I ALWAYS forget to set my timer and end up watching everything by eye!

Dry Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour, I used whole wheat but you can use white

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 TBSP cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp nutmeg

Wet Ingredients:

2 eggs

1/4 cup applesauce (I substituted apple sauce for oil)

1 1/2 TBSP Molasses

1 TBSP vanilla

1/2 cup raisins

1/4 cup pecans, chopped

1 1/2 tsp lemon zest

2 cups freshly grated carrots

Frosting Ingredients:

1 brick of cream cheese

1 tsp cinnamon

3-4 TBSP honey (or more to taste depending on how sweet you like it)

1 drizzle of vanilla

Pesto Chicken, Sundried Tomatoes, & Artichoke Heart Pasta

Now that's a mouth full! Here's a simple pasta, easy to throw together in a pinch using the recently posted Pesto recipe. It's super simple and very flavorful!

Ingredients:

1.5 pounds pasta, I used brown rice pasta

3 chicken breasts, baked

1/2 jar sundried tomatoes, julienne sliced

1/2 jar marinated artichoke hearts, divided

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

pesto sauce

Directions:

First get your chicken baking, I cooked 3 breasts in a pyrex dish (sprayed with Olive Oil) and seasoned with s & p and garlic powder on 400 for about 30- 40 minutes (check center before removing from oven, time will vary due to thickness of breasts). Next get your water boiling and your pasta cooking (per directions on the pasta bag). Then make your pesto sauce and then start combining things as they are done. Drain the pasta, cover it in the pesto sauce, chop your chicken, add your sun dried tomatoes & artichoke hearts and toss in some fresh parmesan and you are ready to serve your hearty and tasty pasta! Ta-duh!!!

Chocolate Fix

Here's a tip. Let's be honest, sometimes throughout the day or even when you are done with your tasks at night, you need a little chocolate fix. You don't need a whole bar, just a square, a snip-it, a morsel that soothes that inner chocolate gland that's sounding like an alarm. I know this alarm well, so it makes me extra conscious of the treats I keep in the house, this being the only one I bring home, it's my one cheat. So let me spill the beans. I buy the Dark Chocolate "Pounder Plus" from Trader Joe's. It's more than a pound of dark chocolate (72% cocoa) goodness that comes in perfect, little bite size squares. I chop it up on my cutting board and store it in a little jar on my butcher block- out of constant sight, but not in a secret hiding spot... somewhere in between the two. Then when the moment hits, I simply indulge in my chocolate fix, replace the lid, and carry on as I was before! Only one rule for me: only one trip to the chocolate jar each day.... that's not to say that there haven't been days when those sneaky fingers of mine grab a second piece on that solo trip though!


** And if you prefer, they carry Pounder Plus in Milk Chocolate too!

Kale Chips

This is an idea that has been floating my head for awhile- I have had a few friends tell me about the idea and I have seen it a few times in cookbooks or cooking sites, and well, I am just now getting around to posting it! It's super easy, takes little effort, and is an easy way to incorporate dark green veggies into your diet- NOT TO MENTION that my child ate almost the whole plate herself- they have the crunch and crispy flavor of a potato chip- your little ones will probably like it too!

Raw Kale with Grape Seed Oil and Sea Salt

Baked Kale or "Kale Chips!"

Ingredients:

1 bunch kale, rinsed & patted dry

2 TBSP grape seed oil

1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions:

I rinsed my kale then chopped it into 3 inch pieces (you can chop or tear it) then I through mine in my salad spinner. I removed the tough stems before putting them in a bowl with the oil and salt. Toss them well and then lay them on a roasting sheet or cookie sheet to bake for 20 minutes on 325. Bake them for 12ish minutes, then with a pair of tongs, turn them over and bake for another 8- 10 minutes until the edges are browned and the leaves are crispy. Serve them immediately as an appetizer or a side, they don't stay crunchy for too long, so gobble them up quick!

Orange Dream

So this past week, we went to a friends house to juice some oranges from the tree in her yard. It made some seriously delicious juice that we have been enjoying all weekend. I even decided to incorporate it into our dessert this weekend, so I added a little Vanilla ice cream and made a little treat tasting like a 50/50 bar! You could also make it with whole oranges and get a similar result!

Ingredients:

2 cups orange juice

3 scoops vanilla ice cream

or

2 large oranges

3 scoops ice cream

3-4 ice cubes

*** this version will be a little frothier...

Directions:

Pour into blender and blend!

This is a great treat with whatever fresh fruit juice you have on hand- try peaches, mango/pineapple, or a combination like strawberry orange!

Peanut Butter Pop 'Ems

Oh my GOODNESS!!! These are divine, and if I was totally honest, are better than the "real deal" Resse's cups. They have no sugar and yet are sweet and satisfying when you need a little pick me up- just pop one in for a little bit of heaven! Thanks to Amy Flory for sharing the idea with us, we are enjoying the goodness girl!!!

The Ground Flax seed gives them some texture and more nutty flavor!

Ingredients:

1/2 cups peanut butter (use the natural kind, not Skippy)

5 TBSP ground flax seed

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 TBSP honey

1/2 cup chocolate, I use dark chocolate

** wax paper

Directions:

Your peanut butter needs to be natural because of the consistency and it needs to be chilled (room temp will make it too runny). Add your flax seed, vanilla, and honey stirring it until well blended. You might have to refrigerate your peanut butter mixture if it is too gooey to roll into balls. Once it hardens, melt your chocolate, I used a double boiler (you could also use a glass bowl in the microwave, just watch it to know when it's done and be careful because the bowl might be hot). The using a tsp sized spoon, scoop and roll your peanut butter mixture and drop it into the chocolate, rolling it around with a spatula, then setting it on the wax paper to harden. I had my wax paper on a plate, then transferred the plate to the fridge for it to chill faster. Enjoy, these are delicious!

Lemon Saffron Chicken...

Taste buds ready for a new flavor, getting tired of the same ol', same ol??? Give this a whirl, super easy, fun new flavors, and minimal ingredients... inspired by my Persian Cooking Diva of a sister-in-law who introduced me to cooking with Saffron!

Ingredients:

1 package of chicken tenders or breasts

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 TBSP Grape Seed Oil

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

a pinch of saffron

Directions:

Pour all ingredients into a dish or Ziplock bag and add chicken tenders (or quartered chicken breasts). Let them marinate for at least 5 minutes (up to 15) and then pour it all into a large skillet. Brown the chicken on both sides, the marinate will be soaked up by the chicken and evaporate until all you have left is the chicken strips. I love the rich yellowish color and the flavor of the saffron combined with the lemon juice and garlic, it's great by itself or wrapped up in a sandwich or wrap. ** In the picture I served it with sweet potato fries and roasted brussel sprouts and cauliflower. But with the left overs I chopped it up and put it in a spelt tortilla with arugula, cucumbers, and some balsamic dressing!

** Saffron can be purchased at Trader Joe's (look for Spanish Saffron) or other stores, it's a little pricey, but a little bit goes a LONG way!