Skinny Blender Pancakes

Last week, after my birthday weekend with the fam, I had to recover from a giant sugar/food coma. It was time to lighten things up. These pancakes are "skinny" but they definitely hit the spot. I bet you can't guess what's in them! It's an interesting list of ingredients, and when I first made them I was skeptical but they are delicious with any pancake topping. 

Speaking of my birthday, I also thought I would use this post to show off a few of the birthday gifts I got last week.

My parent's got me this blender, which made making these pancakes so effortless. My hubs, David, got me the griddle. It heats up super fast and the actual griddle part flips over and becomes an indoor grill. It is so saweeeeeeeeeet and has opened up a world of cooking opportunities for me.

Skinny Pancakes

Recipe Source: Chef In Training, originally a Biggest Loser recipe

6 egg whites

1 cup dry rolled oats

1 cup small curd cottage cheese
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Preheat a griddle to 350 degrees (or heat a skillet to medium high heat on the stove).

Spray griddle with non-stick cooking spray and pour 1/4 cup portions of batter onto griddle. Cook until bubbles appear in the surface and then flip. Cook until the second side is golden brown.

Serve immediately with your favorite pancake toppings.

{Easy} Slow-Cooker Red Beans and Rice

It's no secret that I love beans. If you don't believe me you can check out this post, this post, this post and this post. This dish is my current favorite bean dish. It's so easy to throw together which I love for busy days.

If you don't like beans you should still give this a try. The long cooking time softens the beans to a point where they are flavorful, buttery, and delicious.

Slow-Cooker Red Beans and Rice

Recipe Source: © The Taste Tester

1 pound (about 2 cups) dry red kidney beans

5 cups water

5 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules

1 medium yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 (10 ounce) can rotel tomatoes

1 tablespoon liquid smoke

2 bay leaves

1 (14 ounce) package smoked turkey sausage, sliced *You could also use kielbasa
salt and pepper to taste

Follow directions on package of beans for soaking overnight.

In the morning combine the soaked beans and the remaining ingredients together in a large crock pot. Cook on high for 4-5 hours and then turn to low for 4-5 more hours. Total cooking time is 8-10 hours. For most of the cooking time the red beans will seem really brothy, but as they cook and soften they will break open a little and the starch from the beans will thicken the broth. Be sure to stir the beans every 1-2 hours.

Once the beans are finished cooking, taste them and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve over cooked rice.

Maple Bacon Donuts as A Valentine's Day Gift

If your sweetheart is anything like mine, then I'm guessing they'll love this Valentine's gift. I mean, is there a better way to express love than a sweet and salty home baked good covered in crispy bacon? No, no there's not.

You can get the printable that I used on my paper bags here and here. I bet you are wondering why one of the documents has a "?" and the other has a "!". Well, it just depends on what kind of message you want to get across. I realize that "Don't you know I love you" is a question. But on the printable it sort of looks like you're saying, "I love you?". I personally like the one with an exclamation point better, "I love you!".

By the way, if you are skeptical about the maple-bacon-combo, you've got to try these. They're delish. If you'd rather not make the dough from scratch, then go buy some plain glazed donuts, dip them in the homemade maple frosting and finish them off with cooked crumbled bacon. They'd still be a yummy gift, just easier.

Baked Maple Bacon Donuts

Recipe Source: Adapted from Make Lemonade and More!

Maple Bar Dough:

1 1/2 cups milk

5 tablespoons butter, cut into cubes

5 tablespoons sugar, divided

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup warm water

2 tablespoons yeast

2 large eggs, beaten

5 1/2 cups flour (plus or minus 1/2 a cup - depending on humidity)

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Additional Ingredients:

16 slices bacon, cooked until crispy and then crumbled

Scald milk in a small saucepan over medium heat (don't boil it--- scald it! When milk is successfully scalded it looks frothy around the edges inside the pan). Once milk is scalded, remove from heat and stir in three tablespoons sugar and the butter. Set aside and let cool to lukewarm.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment combine warm water, remaining two tablespoons of sugar, and yeast. Your water will need to be warm enough to activate the yeast but not hot enough to kill it. Let the yeast mixture sit for five minutes. It should bubble and grow.

Once the yeast is ready and the milk mixture has cooled to warm, add the beaten eggs to the yeast. Then gradually mix in the milk mixture and the cinnamon. The cinnamon may clump but it will un-clump when you add in all of the flour.

Add half of the flour and mix until combined. Then remove the whisk attachment and secure the dough hook attachment. Stir in the remaining flour. You will know that the dough is ready when it cleans the side of the bowl, is soft, but does not stick to your fingers. 

Knead dough in machine for 5 minutes. Spray another large bowl with non-stick cooking spray. Remove dough from mixer and place in prepared bowl. Cover. Let rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours at room temperature OR refrigerate overnight (8-12 hours). Either way, the dough will double in size.

After dough has risen, roll it into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Using a cookie cutter, cut out donuts. You can also use a pizza cutter to cut the rectangle of dough into bars. Place on parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Let dough rise for 30 more minutes.

While they rise, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake for 7-8 minutes or until they are a light golden brown. Remove and let cool slightly. Meanwhile make the icing.

Maple Icing:

1/3 cup butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup milk

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons mapleine (maple flavored extract)

1/8 teaspoon salt

Combine butter, brown sugar, and milk together in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Let simmer for three minutes. Remove from heat and using a hand mixer blend in powdered sugar, mapleine, and salt.

While donuts are still warm, dip the tops of the donuts into the icing. Top frosted donuts with cooked crumbled bacon. Store leftovers in the fridge (because of the bacon). 

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Shared here: On the Menu Mondays @ StoneGable

"Healthy" Chocolate Cake

A few weeks ago I had a reader request a recipe for a healthy chocolate cake. Now, I am no expert on health which is why I am simply going to claim that this cake is "better-for-you" than a normal chocolate cake recipe. 

I really liked it. I wouldn't say it was my favorite chocolate cake ever, but at only 100 calories per slice (according to the original source) I was happy with how it turned out. Plus it has zucchini in it and I have always loved a chocolate zucchini cake. My husband liked it as well which surprised me because it was a very dark-chocolate-tasting sort of cake and my husband hates dark chocolate. 

I do think that next time I make this I will try and find a way to replace the brown sugar with a sweetener that is more natural and good for you. I was actually very surprised by how much brown sugar is in this cake--- that's the only thing I would change.

By the way, brown sugar is not any better for you than white sugar. I actually had someone ask me that recently and for the record brown sugar is essentially just granulated white sugar with added molasses. Brown sugar vs. white sugar is not like whole wheat flour vs. white flour or brown rice vs. white rice. Just because it is brown doesn't mean it is better for you.

If you are looking to make this with a healthier sweetener, this website may be helpful in finding the right sweetener for the job.  Recently I have found their Guide to Natural Sweeteners very helpful.

Better-For-You Chocolate Cake

1/3 cup whole wheat flour

1/3 cup white flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cocoa powder

2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup finely shredded zucchini

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease either a round cake pan or a bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In a medium size bowl, mix together flours, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt,  and cocoa powder. Add the applesauce, egg, and vanilla just until the batter is combined and smooth. Fold in zucchini and chocolate chips.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes (round cake pan) or 30-35 minutes (bundt pan). When the cake is done a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean and the cake will have just pulled away from the edges of the pan.

Cool for 10 minutes in the pan on a wire rack before flipping out. If you wait longer than ten minutes, or if you flip too soon you may have problems with the cake sticking to the inside of the pan.

We topped our cake with homemade vanilla ice cream. A 1/10 wedge is approximately 100 calories.

Recipe Source: Yammie's Noshery

Shared here: Pin Me Fridays @ Diana Rambles