Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Banana Bread

Sep 5, 2016

Most normal people would look at a recipe for double chocolate banana bread and think, “hey, that sounds pretty amazing!”

But as we all know, I’m not normal.  So my first thought was, “You know what would make this so much better? Peanut butter chips!”

(weirdly, this is a fairly normal question/answer I have with myself…)

Healthy?  Nah.  But amazing?  You betcha.

This is super moist, almost fudgy, and the peanut butter chips take this to a whole new level.  It’s not unhealthy (in fact, most of it’s not bad for you at all), but the peanut butter chips take this over the edge into dessert territory and up the calories and sugar quite a bit.  Totally worth it in my world, though.  

Levain Bakery Copycat Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Jun 5, 2016

Yeah, that’s a mouthful.  But these cookies deserve all of that name and more.  They probably are the best cookies I’ve had in my life.

So, this all goes back to December, when some sales rep sent us a box of cookies from Levain Bakery in New York.  These cookies weighed like 5 pounds each and were the size of your fist.  Now honestly I’m rarely that tempted by store-bought or bakery cookies.  I’m a homemade girl all the way.  But I was stressed and there were these chocolate ones with peanut butter chips that were calling my name.

So I broke off a piece of one and took it into a meeting with me…

Game over.  I became instantly obsessed (and I ate the rest of that cookie, duh).  We decided to order more and then found out it was $75 for four cookies, which…NO.  So I decided that, hell or high water, I was going to perfectly replicate these cookies.

And I believe I’ve gotten like 99% of the way there.  I tried a couple different copycat recipes and this was definitely the closest.  I also read through a lot of the comments and suggestions and found a couple that make a big difference, so I’ve incorporated them into my recipe below.  One other thing I’ve found is that I actually like them better the next day, vs. fresh.  The texture sets and they become moist and amazing and dense, and a little less rich than fresh out of the oven.

Fair warning, each cookie is like 550-600 calories.  But it’s definitely worth it on occasion.  Trust me and make these NOW.  

Chocolate Chip Granookie

Sep 15, 2014

I did it all for gra-nookie!

Yeah, I couldn’t resist.

Basically, this is just a giant, semi-healthy cookie. One cookie. Or, if you’re super nice, one you can share with your friends. (Spoiler alert: I’m not nice)

The cookie base is coconut oil and a little butter, then the main ingredients are granola and whole wheat flour. So while it’s a dessert, it’s full of whole grain, fiber-y goodness and can be a nice breakfast treat to get you through the week. You can also customize it however you want—I used vanilla granola and dark chocolate chips and peanut butter chips. But the sky’s the limit. You could use banana nut granola and peanut butter chips, mocha granola and milk chocolate chips. If you can dream it, do it.

Black Bean Brownies with Honey – The Runner-Up

Mar 22, 2014

Last week, I shared my perfected black bean brownies recipe. They’ve got amazing texture, taste great, have more protein and fiber than regular brownies, and aren’t packed with sugar (like most black bean brownie recipes are). You’d never even know they have beans in them and are gluten-free.

But I wanted to share the runner-up in my weeks-long search as well. These brownies are great in their own right, though they’ve got a different texture than the others. They’re very moist and light, very fudge-y. The big difference? These are made with honey instead of sugar.

The reason these couldn’t win the top spot is that the honey does change the texture a little. Specifically, it’s white sugar that gives the tops of the brownies that crisp, slightly crackly look, and you just can’t replicate that with honey.

But if you’re trying not to use white sugar, this recipe is a great alternative. 

Preheat the oven to 350 and grease an 8×8 pan. Blend all the ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Pour into the pan, sprinkle with the chocolate and peanut butter chips, and bake for 43-47 minutes.

The brownies should be solid, shouldn’t really wiggle at all when shaken. Let come to room temperature before cutting and serving.

Black Bean Brownies (made with honey)

Makes 8×8 pan; for 9×13, double everything

• 1 can of black beans (drained, well-rinsed)
• 1/4 cup of cocoa powder, unsweetened
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) of unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 tablespoon of vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons of instant espresso or coffee powder
• 1/8 teaspoon of salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup of honey
• Optional:  dark chocolate chips & peanut butter chips for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 350°. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper or spray with non-stick spray and set aside.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, pour all ingredients. Process until smooth. Pour the mixture into the pan and sprinkle wiht the chocolate and peanut butter chips.

Bake for 43-47 minutes. Cooked brownies will be solid, fragrant, and dark, and will not jiggle when the pan is shaken. Allow brownies to cool to room temperature before cutting.

Original recipe here

Perfect Black Bean Brownies

Mar 15, 2014

So, I have been on the hunt for the perfect black bean brownie recipe. Why, you ask? Honestly, I’m not sure. I got it into my head a couple months ago after I tried out my healthy deep-dish chocolate chip cookie pie, which is also chock-full of fiber and gluten-free. Having friends who are gluten-sensitive, I’m always on the lookout for dessert recipes for dinner parties.

I’d seen people pin different black bean brownie recipes, but every time I checked out the ingredients I was shocked at how much sugar they called for—I guess to compensate for the lack of other unhealthy things. So I started browsing through all sorts of recipes and trying several of them find one that was still fairly healthy without compromising on taste or texture.

AND I HAVE FOUND IT.

These brownies are perfect. They’re fudge-y and rich but light and not too sweet, and just as good days later as they were fresh out of the oven. My co-workers were shocked when I told them that they were gluten-free and made of beans. You also blend all the ingredients in a food processor, so there are no bowls to clean, no stirring—just blend, pour, and bake.

FAQs (because I can hear you asking):  Do these brownies taste like beans? No. Do they have a weird texture? No. Will anyone be able to tell they have beans in them? No. Will they make me toot? Possibly…that’s really between you and your intestines.

Too good to be true? No, too legit to quit (Microwave Mug Cakes)

May 20, 2012

I’m one of those people who believes that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. There’s always a catch.

I also love dessert, but pretty much don’t keep anything in my apartment except raw ingredients. So that way, if I’m craving dessert, I either have to make something (which takes time and effort) or go out to get something (which also takes time and effort). Probably 98% of the time I talk myself out of it by sheer laziness because I can’t decide exactly what I want, which my waistline appreciates.

So the idea of mug cakes is both brilliant and frightening, and also makes me a little skeptical. I love the single-serving aspect, since any time I bake a batch of cookies or cupcakes I end up eating half of them. I love the idea of something that takes less than 10 minutes to make. But is it legit? I decided to try a few out and see…