Lately

1. I finished weeding the juvenile biographies today, and oh my stars, look at these! My poor young patrons. Hahaha, oh thank goodness these went out the door! Collection embarrassment. I mean just look at Britney. And do we even remember there was a Venus to Serena?

2. I'm really craving a chocolate milkshake right now. Like really, really craving one. Like somebody get over here and bring me a chocolate shake! Pleeasssseee. With a cherry on top. (But not really 'cause those things are toxic. "Don't you know that your toxic?")

3. Are we ready for Christmas? Ummm, definitely not over here. Christmas is in two days and I still have gifts to purchase and wrap and how is Christmas in two days?!

4. I have not been in the Christmas spirit at all this season. All the decorations, the baking, the carols, the lights...I don't really care about any of it this year. And I love Christmas. But right now, just bring on 2016 already!

5. Speaking of 2016...any goals or resolutions?


With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Good Morning Frappe

This is my GOOD MORNING! Healthier Coffee Mocha Frappe.

And, y'all, just looking at these photos makes me want to rush into my kitchen and make one of these bad boys immediately.

It is THE most perfect way to enjoy the leftovers in the pot you didn't quite finish off yesterday. I am a die-hard iced coffee fan anyway, but sometimes I WANT more than just coffee and ice. I WANT less than a thousand-calorie beverage. I WANT the assumption I'm enjoying something I should feel guilty about. I WANT something that's not going to load my body with a ton of sugar in the early hours. I WANT creamy and caffeinated but will keep me full until an early lunch. I WANT fast... as in I should have left 10 minutes ago.

Because of these WANTS, I created this fantastic homemade frappe.

YUM-O.
PERFECTION.

It's also easy to adjust the recipe to the ingredients you have or the taste you want. I like plain protein powder, but if you want a little sweetness, use vanilla. Or better yet, chocolate. Not a fan of cottage cheese, use plain Greek yogurt instead. Out of chia seeds? Toss in a spoonful of flax seeds. Not sure about the coconut oil? Leave it out. (Or try butter. Bulletproof coffee, anyone?)

This morning frappe can also star as a mid-afternoon snack or a late night dessert. Just add a natural sweetener if you'd like it a bit more decadent, such as honey, maple syrup, or a few slices of a frozen banana. And thicken it! (Extra ice or a pinch of xanthan gum will do the trick.) So you can eat it with a spoon. It's like coffee mocha ice cream.

Some days I drink half in the morning and save the other half for an after dinner treat. When I get home I throw the rest of it back in the blender with a pinch of xanthan gum and one or two more ice cubes. What a delicious treat to come home to! :)

Good Morning Frappe

Serves 1 or 2

3/4 c unsweetened almond milk
3/4 c strongly brewed coffee, cold
1 T coconut oil
1 T chia seeds
1/4 c cottage cheese
1 scoop plain protein powder
1 T unsweetened cocoa powder
handful of ice

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender (place ice in last); blend until desired consistency. Top with coconut whipped cream, if desired. Drink up!

Nutritional Information (without whipped cream) for one serving:
344 Calories, 24 Fat, 3 Sugar, 28 Protein, 10 Fiber

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Triple Chocolate Cookies

I have been making these melt-in-your-mouth health-ified chocolate beauties for years.

And besides these Chocolate Chili Cranberry Cookies, this chocolate cookie is my close second favorite. I first discovered this cookie when perusing the internet for something chocolate-y to add to my Christmas baking. I found this instant winner, and since then have made my own healthy substitutions. However, it's been a while since I indulged in these, and after looking at this season's baking list, I knew I needed at least one chocolate cookie and dug out my recipe.

The best way to devour eat these bite-size cookies are straight from the oven when they're warm and gooey. YUM-O. Just try not to scorch your tongue. A couple of seconds in the microwave is a great substitute for when you shouldn't eat them all straight from the baking sheet because you need to make a pretty platter to take to Grandpa's Christmas and everybody is depending on you to bring a cookie platter with at least one chocolate cookie. Oh, and if you don't want to spend the rest of the holiday season in your yoga pants because none of your jeans fit.

Wait... who doesn't want this? Yoga pants are comfy. Yoga pants are acceptable. Yes, definitely. Sign me up for that.

But, hey, these are "health-ified," remember? You can eat the whole sheet and probably still fit into those jeans. And, trust me, you will be tempted to eat more than one, or five. The gooey chocolate just oozing out of the cookie. A soft not-too-sweet treat with rich dark chocolate chunks. I won't blame you if you lick the pan. Just let it cool first, 'kay?

Black Bean Triple Chocolate Cookies
*adapted from Ellie Krieger's recipe

Yields: 2 dozen cookies

1/4 c coconut oil, softened (or the original recipe's 1/4 c unsalted butter, I vary this substitution)
1/2 c scant dark brown sugar
1/4 c scant granulated sugar
1/4 c plain Greek yogurt
1 flax egg (1 T flax seeds + 3 T water)
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 c black beans, pureed
1/2 c whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder (Trader Joe's is my favorite, of course)
1/3 c dark chocolate, chopped
1/3 c semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream together the butter (or oil) and sugars until well combined. Add the yogurt and flax egg and beat until creamy. Mix in the vanilla. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and cocoa powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well. Stir in the black beans, mixing well. Then add in the chopped chocolate and mix well. Using a tablespoon, scoop the batter onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12 minutes. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool.

Nutritional Information per cookie: 77 calories, 3 fat, 12 carbs, 1 fiber, 1 protein, 8 sugar

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Annnddd We Turned THREE... (Over a Month Ago)

HAPPY {BELATED} BIRTHDAY, BLOG!

Ummm, it's the holidays. Thanksgiving just finished. CHRISTMAS IS COMING!! Oh, and I was in Maine. Forgive me. I fell behind. I had plans. Honestly, I remembered Sweet B's anniversary was approaching and I had plans.

And then I glanced at the calendar, and oh my stars, it's November! And anything related to the month of October left my mind completely.

Whoops.

When I finally realized I missed my date, I glanced at the up-coming weeks to find a day in need of celebration and cake.

Who waits for a time to celebrate with cake? Who needs the excuse? [I raise my hand.]

Who is the lamest person on Earth? [I raise my hand, reluctantly, but nobody can see me so I'm not too embarrassed.]

I know. I know. Please don't stop reading. I'm sorry. I'm not a cake person. I just don't have the sweet tooth I once had. No? Not believable? Okay, then I can't have a cake just sitting around the house because I will eat it all myself and then I'll have to do more than just a yoga workout to make up for it or live with the fact that I can't fit into my skinny jeans because I just ate an entire cake by myself and this will not help the fact that cookie baking season is right around the corner and that's a sure bet my skinny jeans will be out of commission until January anyway and with all the baking and eating and sampling and eating when will I have the time to do more than a yoga workout let alone even attempt to try on my skinny jeans?

I digress. The cake. The cake was.... a TRIFLE.

Surprise!

Yes, this mess happened.

I had everything I needed to make this beautiful, eye-catching, four-layer Thanksgiving dessert. Everything except a sturdy cake. The pumpkin in the cake batter made it extremely moist and once halved, the layers just leaned into a hot mess. I took one look at my cake stand, flipped it over into a bowl, and created this beautiful, eye-catching Thanksgiving trifle. No one knew. Except I told everybody. And now I'm telling you.

I'm not really one for secrets. Unless it's a big, juicy one then by all means...let me grab my coffee.

I found the recipe for this pumpkin cake in The Chew cookbook I received last Christmas, and ever since I have had my eye on Carla Hall's stunning Pumpkin Cake with a Chocolate Ganache. It's just gorgeous. The perfect centerpiece of a great meal. Well, this just goes to show any cake can inspire the perfect TRIFLE centerpiece.

This was absolutely as mouthwatering as its photo. However, I made many substitutions, so I'm providing my adapted recipe below. The biggest adjustment was the sugar. OH MY STARS! I could not believe how much sugar was in this recipe. My teeth hurt just reading the ingredient list. My teeth thanked me later. Yikes. And my sweets-loving father-in-law also thanked me. To say it's rich and decadent is an understatement. To say it's absolutely delicious is also an understatement. The perfect showstopper.


Layered Pumpkin Trifle with Chocolate Ganache
*adapted from Carla Hall's recipe

Serves 12

Pumpkin Chocolate Cake:

1 1/2 c sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs 

2 flax eggs (1 T flax seed + 3 T water per egg)
1 c all-purpose flour

1 c whole wheat pastry flour
2 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
3 t pumpkin pie spice
1 t salt
2 c pumpkin puree

Mascarpone Filling:

2 c powdered sugar
1 t vanilla extract
1 T pumpkin pie spice
1 c pumpkin puree
2 t salt  

2 cups mascarpone  (I could not find this anywhere, locally, so I made my own version: combine 2 (8-oz) pkgs Neufchatel cream cheese, 1/4 c heavy whipping cream, and 2 1/2 T plain Greek yogurt until fluffy. This should equal 2 cups.)

Dark Chocolate Ganache:

3 T corn syrup
6 oz heavy whipping cream
12 oz dark chocolate, chopped into small bits  (I like 85% dark)
1/2 t vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 2 9" cake pans. Combine sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and flax eggs in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Whisk dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Stir the dry into the wet ingredients until just combined. Fold in the pumpkin puree. Divide batter between the two prepared cake pans. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Rotate pans half way through cooking. When a toothpick comes out clean, the cakes are done. Let cool for 5 minutes and then turn cakes out onto cooling racks. While the cakes are cooking make the filling. Beat the mascarpone (or mascarpone substitute) and the pumpkin puree until blended, then add the pumpkin pie spice, salt, and powdered sugar. Mix at a high speed until blended (about 1 minute). Once it's fully combined add vanilla and beat for another 30 seconds. Make the ganache in a small saucepan. Combine the corn syrup and cream and bring to a simmer. Add the chocolate and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Once the cakes have cooled completely, make the trifle or the original cake version.... 

Trifle: Tear the cake into chunks, using hands or a knife. Alternately layer the cake pieces, mascarpone mixture, and the chocolate ganache. No rhyme or reason, just make it look beautiful :)

Cake: Cut through each cake horizontally with a serrated knife (there will now be four rounds of cake to work with). Spread the filling evenly between the layers. Once assembled, transfer cake to a cake stand with parchment paper lined around the edges (to keep the cake stand clean). Pour the ganache over the cake. Once the ganache is set, remove the parchment.

*Notes: I let my cake rounds cool over night before slicing, and I also made the mascarpone mixture the night before and chilled in the fridge until ready to use.)
 

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Nutty Chocolate Breakfast Shake

I know it's been a little shake/smoothie/beverage overload on here lately this summer, but I am not at all sorry. As the months get warmer, the more I crave something fast and cold to jump start my mornings. Today I'm sharing my new morning obsession favorite, and a heads up(!) I'll be sharing another smoothie favorite next week. I.cannot.stop.drinking.this. It's the perfect shake for me. It's all about the peanut butter taste with half the calories, made possible by PB2. I love PB2, and you can read/purchase more about it here, but basically it's powdered peanut butter. Regular PB2 has 23 calories, 1 fat, 1 sugar. Compared to one of my favorites, Trader Joe's raw almond butter, which has 95 calories, 9 fat, 1 sugar.

The product recommends mixing a tablespoon of PB2 with water, but ewwww. Yuck. Instead, I throw it into my shakes. I know a few people who have used it in baked goods, which is next on my list, but for now I'm inhaling it by the glassful. I kid you not, my friends. I've been enjoying this Nutty Shake every morning for days now. Even when I ran out of protein powder, I blended on. Alas, I ran out of PB2. This has made for a very sad Brindi.

While at work, Mr. B called to let me know he was heading to the store and asked if I needed anything. I squealed "YES!" and began to describe my PB2, what it looked like and where in the store it was located. "Umm, yeah. Anything normal?"

I did not get my PB2.

The day after I purchased my first PB2, I received a message from my co-worker telling me about this awesome product she stumbled upon at Target (love Target), and knowing I enjoy smoothies and peanut butter, needed to tell me about it. It was PB2. Seriously. This stuff is awesome.

Mixed with vanilla protein powder and coconut oil, this makes for one satisfying breakfast shake. I drink half when I get up, and place the other half in the freezer to chill while I get ready for the day.  I grab it as I head out the door, and finish it on my way to work. It keeps me full and energized until lunch. Love it. Love it. Love it. Obsessed? Definitely. In need of purchasing the bulk size for sure.

Nutty Chocolate Breakfast Shake

Serves 1

1 c unsweetened almond milk
1 T chia seeds
2 heaping T PB2 (with cocoa)
1 heaping T raw coconut oil
1 heaping T cottage cheese (<--- makes it delightfully creamy)
Pinch of xanthan gum
5-7 ice cubes
Optional: when I have it on hand, 1/2 frozen banana, sliced (for a little added sweetness)

Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix until desired consistency is reached, adding more ice or water if needed.

Nutritional information (without banana): 283 Calories, 24 Fat, 11 Protein, 8 Fiber, 4 Sugar


With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Sunday Sweets

This morning I enjoyed a big bowl of oats for breakfast. There were strawberries and almond milk and almond butter. It was a big bowl of deliciousness. Oh, and I enjoyed a big mug of coffee. It was a big mug of, you bet, deliciousness. Actually, more like two big mugs of deliciousness. God bless beautiful Sunday mornings.

It is a beautiful morning over here. The sun is shining and the weather channel reports a high of almost 60. Hallelujah! Spring is on it's way. A walk through the park sounds perfect, but first I'm getting on my baking. I'm pulling out my recipe for my favorite healthy chocolate cookies, these Black Bean Chocolate Chili Cranberry Cookies. And when I pull out this trusty treat, it can only mean ONE thing: It's time for VERA BRADLEY. (Well, actually the second is when my grandfather politely requests his own personal batch, but I'm talking about VB here.)

Yep, this Thursday my best girlfriend, her mother-in-law, and I will be heading to the annual VB Outlet Sale. And I am ready! (Or I will be when I finish stuffing my Vera Weekender bag [in Java Blue, by the way]....) I think it's time for a new purse and wallet combo because, you know, the seven purses hanging in my closet right now are not enough, and you know, I still have two bare hooks. Hey, we are all collectors of something. VB is it for me. Oh, and coffee mugs, can't forget my coffee mugs...

Here's your smile for today, and I found it quite fitting. Thank you. Don't mind if I do.

I'm thinking these might be the next tasty dozen or so cookies to go in my oven. YUM. Except I'm going to use my favorite chocolate, Ghirardelli. The darker the better, my friends.

Image Source: Yes, I Want Cake

Happy Sunday! I hope y'all find something sweet to get into today.

It's also the beginning of National Bake Week, as if you needed another reason ;)

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Black Bottom Cups

Tiny.Cups. Too.Cute.

The first time my friend, Kylee, made these for me, way back in 2007 at the very first holiday baking extravaganza, I wanted to kiss her. Well, I did anyways. She's my very good friend. And to whomever gave her the recipe, I'll kiss you, too.

These Black Bottom Cups are THAT good. And they're bite size, which automatically makes them even tastier. And, I promise, you cannot, will not, and won't want to eat just one tiny cup. You might even find yourself having to make another batch just to put on the holiday platters you promised friends and family. Here's a word to the wise: don't tell people what you're making...in case it never makes it on the tray. It's always a little, ummm awkward trying to explain what happened to the dozen or so missing cookies.....

This year, however because I can't leave well enough alone, I healthi-fied them a bit more than my already adapted recipe below. Instead of a mixture of whole wheat pastry flour and white flour, I replaced all flour with pureed black beans. I'm known for doing this, see Exhibit A, Exhibit B, and Exhibit C. (While we're on the subject of beans, check out my famous Black Bean Burgers, if you haven't already.) And let me tell you, there is good news and bad news. Let's start with the bad news: when replacing all flour with pureed beans, the cups will fall apart. They might look somewhat pretty now, but try getting those things out of the liners. The mess didn't stop me; just use a spoon.

The good news: the mess didn't stop others either. All proper etiquette went out the window when it came to these delicious cups. There are a few members of my family that request these treats every Christmas season, but this year my mother-in-law couldn't get enough of them. I had to bring her the rest of my stash once she devoured hers. Lesson learned: possibly try a mixture of flour and pureed beans next year. If you give it a try, be sure to let me know how they turn out. Happy baking!

Black Bottom Cups
*adapted from my friend Kylee's recipe (pureed bean-less)

Makes about 4 dozen mini cups

8 oz Neufchatel cream cheese
1 egg
1/3 + 1 c sugar
pinch of salt + 1/2 tsp
6 oz semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
1/3 c canola oil
1 c water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 c flour
1 c whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa
1 Tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp baking soda
1 c chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, egg, 1/3 c sugar, and pinch of salt; mix well. Fold in chocolate chips; set aside. In a large bowl, combine 1 c sugar and oil. Add water and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa, and 1/2 tsp salt. Add to oil mixture. In a separate small bowl, mix vinegar with baking soda (and enjoy the fizz). Add vinegar mixture to flour mixture. Stir in nuts, if desired.

In mini cupcake pans, with mini liners, add 1 tsp black mixture and top with 1/2 tsp white mixture.
*Note: I tend to get a little crazy when it comes to filling the cups, usually due to lack of patience and time. But these bake up much prettier if you take your time and use the correct measurements... instead of the tablespoons I tend to use...(hence the not so flattering above pictures).

Bake 25 minutes or until set. Cool completely on wire racks. (or they might be messy, but tasty.)

Nutritional Information (without nuts): Per Mini Cup (48 in batch)
80 Calories; 4 Fat; 8 Sugar; 11 Carbs; 1 Protein

These are absolutely perfect paired with a steaming cup of coffee.

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Dessert of the Month

Earlier this month we celebrated a milestone over here. It was my father's 50th birthday.

Way back in July, Mama and I decided we were going to plan a big surprise party for Daddy. To say he never makes a "big deal" out of his birthday is putting it nicely lightly, cough, cough. It's a man thing, I know. My husband's the same way....remember his milestone, the big 3-0. My father is the silent type, not quite anti-social, but he's very content in relaxing at home. Everyone in the family is well aware of this, so you can imagine the plotting and planning that went into his party, which we set for a few weeks after his birthday so he wouldn't suspect a thing....but that is for another post.*

 

This post is all about this delicious chocolate cake, which I made for my father to celebrate his 50th. The entire family was getting together for a good ol' family reunion a few days before his birthday. Even though we were planning this big surprise party, Mama knew we had to do something ("it's his 50th, for crying out loud") or he would suspect something was, indeed, UP. So she called me a week before asking if I could make a chocolate cake, a little "surprise" to acknowledge his day. 

Yes, of course. If there was only one word I could use to describe my father when it comes to anything food-related, it would be chocoholic. When I first saw this recipe I knew it had my father's name all over it, and it included wine. Hello. Celebration right there.

I am serious as a heart attack when I say this is the only chocolate cake I will make. When I want sugar and I'm celebrating and not interested in being super healthy, this is it. When someone requests a chocolate cake, this Chocolate Cake with Pinot Noir Frosting is what they'll get. Ah-mazingly moist. Simple. Perfection. My only complaint, if you will, is the frosting is a tad too sweet for my liking....for Daddy, it was perfect. The wine is only in the frosting, which I might change up the next time I make it by adding it to the actual cake instead of the vanilla. Everyone thought there was espresso in the cake, and there wasn't (but I like that idea, definitely...). I think it was the Pinot Noir enhancing the chocolate. The frosting was fluffy and beautiful though. And, as Jenna stated in her post, the cake is so light it just goes down too easy.

A hands-down-winner, my friends.

Happy 50th, Daddy! You definitely don't look it :)

Since this cake was for Daddy and it was his 50th, I didn't health-ify it. My only changes consisted of a mix between white and whole wheat pastry flours, 1 flax egg, and 4 1/2 cups of the powdered sugar. And maybe a few more splashes of wine ;)

Seriously, check out this delicious chocolate cake! Well done, Jenna.

Yes, this cake is fabulous. Perfect for the chocolate-lover in your life.

*More on Daddy's surprise party later!

**BY THE WAY, IT'S NATIONAL CAPS LOCK DAY. BUT I FIGURED AN ENTIRE POST IN ALL CAPS WOULD A) STOP YOU FROM READING IT, AND B) MAKE YOU  WANT TO PUNCH ME IN THE FACE. YOU'RE WELCOME.

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Dessert of the Month

This may come as a huge shock, it was to me anyway, but I have not made a dessert in quite awhile. A few weeks ago I attempted a couple of batches of homemade ice cream, only to fail because my ice cream mixer bowl wasn't as chilled as it should have been (read: Mr. B keeps turning the freezer down to "save" on electricity). However, I was able to salvage the icy, clumpy mixtures by turning them into milkshakes. Waste not, want not. YUM.

This past weekend was Father's Day, and my hubby and I were treating my daddy to the best and biggest steak in his life. We were taking him to Henry Waghner's, a small German-American Pub located near my college Alma mater. And these steaks are ridiculous. I could.not.wait. Yet, I knew I couldn't have Daddy up without treating him to one of my homemade desserts. There's only two rules I must follow when making my father a dessert: 1) chocolate must be involved, and 2) the sweeter the better. (Daddy has a very strong sweet tooth.)

But I wanted to make something new, because y'all know that's how I roll. I love trying new recipes. So I skimmed through my cookbooks, realizing I wanted something simple, cold, and with peanut butter. (Because peanut butter and chocolate is a must.) I remembered one of my favorite bloggers, Katie at Dashing Dish, often features frozen pies and her recipes are on the healthier side. Once there I immediately knew which pie I was making: the Frozen Reese's Peanut Butter Pie. Absolutely. Annnnd I had all of the ingredients except for the mini Reese Cups. An easy fix.

However, I can't help it. I like putting my own twists on recipes, making them my own, using what I have on hand. It's one of the reasons I love being in the kitchen. Glancing at the recipe, I instantly knew my alterations. She has a love of baking with Stevia, a no calorie sugar replacement. I do, too, yet I can't stand the odd aftertaste Stevia often gives to desserts. I've made many desserts with Stevia and I'm just not fond of its taste. I have baking Stevia on hand and I still find ways to use it...just not so much at one time. Soooo....here are my adjustments:

• 8 oz Neufchatel cream cheese (1/3 less fat than regular)
• creamy peanut butter (of course)
• for the 1/2 c Stevia called for, I used a scant 1/4 c of Stevia + 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• I used a plain graham cracker crust instead of Oreo (because I want a stronger peanut butter flavor than chocolate)
• for 1/4 c skim milk, I used 1/4 c unsweetened almond milk
• for the 3 Tbsp of chocolate syrup, I used 2 Tbsp hot fudge (mixed in the batter)
• and crushed mini Reese Cups only for the topping (when sliced, I then decorated each piece with a drizzle of melted fudge and peanut butter to make it pretty)

Blend until smooth, scoop mixture into crust, top, and chill for at least 6 hours, and TA DA!!!!! A beautiful, decadent, and healthier dessert! And Daddy never even noticed the missing sugar. I like to think it was the focus on the peanut butter flavor, the secret serving of vanilla extract, and the creaminess from the Cool Whip. I actually preferred to serve this straight from the freezer instead of letting it sit for 15 minutes. Straight out of the freezer it's more like ice cream. Delicioso.

Nutritional Information (my version): 243 calories, 11 fat, 11 sugar, 7 protein, 2 fiber
(My version is 28 calories more, but my calculation includes the crumbled Reese Cups on top...not sure if Katie's does...just in case you wanted to know specifics!)

Welp, Daddy went home (and since he has a two-hour drive and it was quite humid out) and couldn't take the leftovers, which meant I was stuck in a house with half a pie that I knew Mr. B wouldn't touch. What's a girl to do? All that peanut butter. All that cold creaminess. PLUS, I still have an almost full bag of mini Reese Cups in the fridge! It was calling my name every time I walked into the kitchen, "Brindi, there's peanut butter goodness in here!" Yes, I'm here! Ummm, yeah, thankfully my mother-in-law was stopping by and I gave the rest of the pie to her to give to my step father-in-law so he could share in this Father's Day dessert (his sweet tooth almost rivals Daddy's, but not quite).

At 8:30 last night I get a phone call from him telling me it was the best pie he's had in his life.

Like I say, it's the little things that make my blessed life so sweet.


*Stop by Dashing Dish for the original recipe!

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Via Protein Power Shake

My latest obsession.

Over the last six days, I have started my mornings with this refreshing beverage. I just can't get enough.

It's amazing. It's simple and fast.

It's perfect on those hot and muggy mornings.

It has coffee. And protein. And it's creamy.

And it's versatile. On regular mornings (you know, the ones where I'm rushing out the door because I just could not get out of bed), I use my favorite, unsweetened almond milk, as the base. But it's also perfect as a post-workout beverage. For those times I replace the almond milk with chocolate milk. It gives my muscles an extra power boost.

Via Protein Power Shake

Serves 1

1 c unsweetened almond milk, or chocolate milk (or any milk for that matter)
1 Starbucks Via packet (or any instant coffee packet)
1 scoop vanilla protein powder (chocolate would work well, too)
5-7 ice cubes, or as much ice as you desire

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth, adding more ice until desired consistency is reached. Drink up!

*Note: I'm sure a tablespoon of nut butter would be divine in this beverage, or make it into a dessert shake by adding in a scoop of ice cream instead of ice. Like I said, very versatile.


Oh, and it's National Water a Flower Day. Soooo, hop to it!

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Dessert of the Month

Guess what?!

In less than 48 hours my friend, her mother-in-law, and I will be on our way to the Vera Bradley Outlet Sale in Indiana!!!!!!!!!!! I.cannot.wait. Last year we went up on a Thursday, which required a ticket, but this year we're hitting the Sunday sale, which doesn't require a ticket. And there will probably be some flying elbows. I'm ready.

They're picking me up Saturday and we're spending the night at a hotel so we'll be there bright and early Sunday. However I work on Saturday, so we'll be arriving at the hotel quite late. To fuel us for the drive, I decided to make us some Black Bean Chocolate Chili [Cranberry] Cookies.

Now this is not my recipe, so it's also a review post. (And I really enjoy this blogger's recipes...vegan and healthy...so I rarely ever have to substitute ingredients.) I've been eager to make these cookies for a while now. I almost made them at Christmas but the batch doesn't make very many. Not the kind of cookie you make for a crowd, nor the kind of cookie you make for people who don't like to try new healthier versions of cookies. But my friend, Jess, is all up for my healthy experiments. I knew this would be the perfect time to make them. Plus, if we do like them there's only nine cookies. (Well, eight now since I had to try one. I wouldn't want to give anyone a bad cookie.)

Yeah. These cookies hit the spot. The rich dark chocolate and the spice from the cayenne mixed with little bites of dried cranberries (the recipe originally calls for cherries) make for one satisfying cookie. It's not too sweet and I know I'm getting a nice dose of fiber from the chia seeds. Annnnnd.....they have my favorite "healthy" ingredient: BLACK BEANS! (Now you're getting your protein.)

YUM-O.

I'm sure if you have a food processor these would be super fast to throw together when entertaining small company or when you're in the mood for cookies but don't want a lot. However, my food processor is super, super tiny so I used my blender instead. The mix kept getting stuck, and I'd have to stop and stick a spatula in there to wiggle everything around. After a few attempts, I had to scrape out the dry ingredients and then layer a little bit of dry, then some wet; repeat. But they're still quick to make.

Eventually, the batter will smooth out like the above picture; add the cranberries and chocolate chunks.

Then you scoop nine big cookies onto your prepared baking sheet, and bake 15 minutes at 375 degrees. And these are much better eaten when cooled than when straight from the oven. So, be patient.

Y'all have to try these fabulous, tasty cookies!

For an awesome rich chocolate fix with a kick, head on over to My New Roots for the recipe! And while you're there check out Sarah B's other great vegan recipes, videos, and tips.

But then, of course my thoughts turned to my wonderful hubby (who happened to be heading home from work at the time) and I decided to whip up a batch of chocolate chip cookies. His favorite. I knew he wouldn't eat these chocolate chili cookies because 1) they're chocolate, 2) "who knows what [I] did to them to make them healthy," and 3) the batch only made nine cookies and they're not for him anyway.

But, don't tell Mr. B, I health-ified his cookies, too. Shhhhhh. I replaced the egg with a flax-egg. I wanted to make his cookies a little healthier; however I can't do too much or he'll know. And also because I wanted to eat a few spoonful(s) of batter. Now we're all happy.

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi

Dessert of the Month

This month I'm introducing a new feature I'm hoping to continue on the blog (cough...I have the best of intentions...cough). It's called "Dessert of the Month", where I showcase a succulent dessert recipe I stumbled upon somewhere and am dying to make my mouth waters just thinking about it.

February seemed like the perfect month to start because 1) it's the shortest month and it needs a little something special, and 2) I just thought of it a few days ago when I wanted to make these brownies and really didn't have a reason (but, who am I kidding, who needs a reason to make brownies?) so I created one.

And these brownies are perfect for February because they're pink.

And I probably should have made these for Valentine's Day now that I'm thinking of it. But I'm thinking a little celebration for the end of the month will do just fine.

I found these brownies on Pinterest, of course, and immediately thought these would be my next baking project. I mean they have chocolate, espresso, cream cheese, and fresh blackberries (which are in abundance at my grocery store right now). Perfect.

And you can eat the batter...no eggs :)

However, when I took a peek at the recipe I knew I'd have to make some Sweet B adjustments. I like to indulge every once in a while, but I still try to keep it natural and healthy (well, healthier). With my substitutions, I was able to cut out 135 calories. Yes, I'm excited to share these delicious gems with you!

Fresh Blackberry Cheesecake Swirled Brownies
*adapted from Beantown Baker's recipe

Makes 16 brownies

For the Blackberry Sauce:
6 oz fresh blackberries, washed
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp water

Place blackberries and sugar in a pan and heat until the blackberries release their juices. Combine cornstarch, juice, and water in a small bowl. Stir together until smooth. Add slurry to pan and stir to mix completely. Bring mixture to boil for a few minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature.

For the Brownie Batter:
1/4 c (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
3 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 c + 1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract + 1/2 Tbsp, divided
1/2 c + 2 Tbsp cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp espresso powder
2 Tbsp ground flax + 6 Tbsp water (= 2 flax eggs)
3/4 c black beans, pureed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8" baking dish.

In a bowl melt butter in the microwave. Then add olive oil, 1 tsp vanilla, and sugar; stir to combine. Return the mixture to the microwave and heat another 30 seconds. (Heating this mixture a second time will dissolve more of the sugar, which will yield a shiny top crust on your brownies.) Transfer the sugar mixture to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Stir in the cocoa, salt, baking powder, espresso powder, and 1/2 Tbsp vanilla. Whisk in the flax eggs, stirring until smooth. Add the pureed beans, mixing thoroughly.

For the Cheesecake:
8 oz Greek yogurt, plain
1 egg
1/4 c sugar
2 Tbsp + 2 tsp flour (or use cornstarch to be completely GF)
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Add all ingredients into a medium bowl and mix until well combined. Add the blackberry sauce and stir until mixed thoroughly.

To Assemble the Brownies:
Spread about 2/3 of chocolate batter into prepared pan, and spoon cheesecake batter over. Dollop remaining brownie batter over cheesecake batter. Swirl the batters together by running a butter knife back and forth through the pan. (My substitutions make the batter thick and the cheesecake part a little runny. So if it doesn't swirl perfectly, it's okay.) Bake for 55 minutes (it will still be jiggly and the brownies are gooey so don't fret), or until center is set. Turn oven off and let brownies cool in oven about 20 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack and chill before cutting and serving. (I put mine in the freezer to speed up the process.)

Nutritional Information
Per brownie: 127 Calories, 16 Carbs, 7 Fat, 3 Protein, 3 Fiber, 11 Sugar

These are gooey and fudgey, and the berries and espresso bring so much flavor. My new favorite brownie recipe. Ever.

With Love and God Bless,
Brindi