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Chocolate Chip Meringues

A vivid memory for me as a kid is getting a tin of these fluffy white things (probably from Trader Joes) and delighting to find that they were crunchy, but more importantly–delicious! I’m kind of scared to think back on how many I would eat in one sitting. Yikes. Well, fast forward to today and I now know what they are! Meringues. Beautiful, mind-bending, mouth-watering meringues. That amazing dessert that feels at the same time you’re both eating air and crunching into a godly snack. I’ve never made meringues before. If you would’ve asked me, I thought that the recipe must be really difficult. Let’s face it: I was intimidated! Such a fancy schmancy dessert and who was I to presume to try to do it?

That is, until I saw Skinnytaste’s instagram post of her “Black and White Chocolate Chip Clouds” and realized that maybe the recipe wasn’t over my head. I had a good friend’s cookie bake coming up and I said to myself, “You know what! I’m going to try it!” And I did. And it was a success! I made chocolate chip meringues and I cannot wait to make them again. And guess what? These are a healthy alternative to the normal heavy cookie. Now that I feel comfortable with the recipe, I want to really make them my own. I’m not sure what the hardest part was (the recipe is so easy)–separating the egg whites or waiting for them to be cooked. Yeah, that’s the difficulty level we’re talking here, folks. Just look at the recipe below! 

chocolate chip meringues 7

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Whole-Wheat Lemon “Cakes”

We’ve got another recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks, A Feast of Ice and Fire. My last two (one from the Wall and one from the South) were great hits and this one brings us right to King’s Landing with a spin on Sansa’s favorite lemon cakes. However, my spin, as it usually is makes these a bit healthier. I used mostly whole-wheat flour to add some fiber and make it better for our blood sugar spiking as well as using a little less sugar and using mostly honey. These are delectable little bites of yum without all the guilt that normal lemon cakes would carry. 

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Cookies (No-Bake)

Could you have a better combination of words? Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Cookies. Yum. Oh and don’t forget the no-bake part! What! I was so excited when I saw this recipe that I had to make my own variation! You may get that I’m excited due to the back-to-back exclamation points. This was an incredibly easy recipe. As I was putting it together, I kept thinking, is this really going to work? Spoiler alert: it worked and it’s damn delicious! There is no cooking time to these cookies and they are chock-full of protein! Often times, adding protein powder to baked goods can give them weird textures and flavors. Not this one! You wouldn’t even suspect that there was anything added to these cookies besides deliciousness. 

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Healthy Apple Muffins

Yay, a recipe post! We haven’t had enough of these lately, but we are coming back at ya! I recently started a project where I want to start doing at least one cookbook recipe a week and tailor it to fit my needs. Lucky enough and exciting enough, I started with A Feast of Ice and Fire (for the non-book lovers, this is a Game of Thrones cookbook!!). Hungry got this cookbook for me for Christmas and I seriously love it. The recipes are so amazing with a slice of text from the book that the recipe’d food came from! Most recipes also provide the medieval version (how they would’ve made it in the Song of Ice and Fire series) and also a modern version.

I chose to start with Applecakes. As you can see in the pictures below, Applecakes were something that the men on the Wall ate (like Jon Snow). The way they tie it back to the books absolutely makes it for me! Applecakes were basically like a medieval donut back in the day. I chose to do the Modern Applecakes recipe which resembles more closely to a muffin. I also healthified it! Less butter and less sugar. But let me tell you, these are absolutely delicious. The moistness that comes from the chunks of apple is wonderful. And you can just picture the characters eating them too, which makes it all the merrier. 

Viserion paid a visit

Viserion paid a visit

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Easy Biscuit Dinner Rolls

We had a family get-together over the weekend and I had to think of something for a side dish. We had no butter, no veggies–nothing in the fridge or pantry. But one thing we did have…baking ingredients! Why don’t I make dinner rolls! Perfect. However…I didn’t have butter. But, thanks to the internet, I found my way around it! I used this recipe. However, again, it called for an ingredient I didn’t have–mayonnaise. I looked up a few different ways to “substitute” mayo and decided on my winner (egg yolk + oil). Either we were going to have some great dinner rolls or we were going to stop at Whole Foods. Spoiler alert: they turned out great! This is an incredibly easy recipe for some delicious biscuit dinner rolls

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Chocolate Banana Nut Protein Bars

Boy is this recipe a home run! I spent a good amount of time researching other protein bar recipes. Hungry had a great idea–we had some old bananas, so instead of banana bread, what if we made something fun like protein bars? We are always wanting more protein bars, and they can get expensive! This recipe is incredibly cheap to make (and easy). There are under ten ingredients and it is absolutely delicious. Nutritious and delicious–that’s my favorite kind of recipe. This one is fun because you can really have variety with it–you can substitute and switch out ingredients as you please. This recipe will have you gobbling down protein like no other!

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Chocolate Spinach Brownies

The first thing my dad said when I told him I made spinach brownies was “Eeew!” almost exactly. And I don’t blame him. Spinach…and chocolate…? It sounds like a weird combo, but it works. I wanted to make some sort of healthy treat for our management meeting today, and I remembered a recipe that I had bookmarked from Brooklyn Farm Girl. Perfect! Plenty of chocolate without the guilt. Now, that is something I can get behind. Especially after the cleanse, I’m trying to be good and stick to my macros (post on that coming later this week).

Whisk that mixture!

Whisk that mixture!

The dry mixture you stir into the wet...

The dry mixture you stir into the wet…

To put in the oven for 30-ish minutes

To put in the oven for 30-ish minutes

To come out like this

To come out like this

CHOMP

CHOMP

Things got a little weird in the kitchen...

Things got a little weird in the kitchen…

  • Chocolate Spinach Brownies
    A healthy version of the traditional brownie
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    Prep Time
    15 min
    Cook Time
    33 min
    Prep Time
    15 min
    Cook Time
    33 min
    Ingredients
    1. 1/2 cup regular flour
    2. 1/2 cup cocoa powder
    3. 1 cup pureed spinach
    4. 1/4 cup melted butter
    5. 3/8 cup (little less than half) regular sugar
    6. 3/8 cup brown sugar
    7. 2 tsp vanilla
    8. 1/2 cup melted chocolate chips
    9. 1/3 cup chocolate chips
    10. 1/2 tsp baking powder
    Instructions
    1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F and grease up a 8x8 (or a cake tin) pan
    2. Puree the spinach in a blender or food processor, using a few tablespoons of water
    3. Mix the melted butter with the regular sugar and brown sugar
    4. Melt the chocolate chips and mix into the butter/sugar mixture
    5. Mix in the spinach puree and the vanilla extract into the buttery sugary mix
    6. In a smaller bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, or cocoa powder
    7. Slowly, add the dry mix to the wet until it's all in
    8. Fold in the non-melted chocolate chips into the mixture
    9. Put in the oven for 30-35 minutes and let cool
    Adapted from Brooklyn Farm Girl
    hungry and fit https://hungryandfit.com/

 Mine didn’t turn out as fluffy as I had intended because first off, I didn’t have as much spinach as I needed and second, I accidentally omitted the baking powder. OOPS! Hey no worries, they still taste divine. They’re my little short adorable brownies and I love them. Play around with the recipe and have fun! Bake spinach brownies to stay hungry and fit! 

BONUS KITTY PIC

Cuties

Cuties

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Seriously Guilt-Free Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Seriously. We all want to get our yummy cookie fix but without all the grams of fat and sugar that weigh us down, especially around the Super Bowl where we are already going to be stuffing our face! I felt super experiment-y in the kitchen today between playing bouts of video games. This recipe is based off one of my previous ones, but it’s more healthified (yes, that’s a word) and still tasty!

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It’s as good as it looks

  • Prep Time: 5-7 minutes
  • Baking Time: 10-12 minutes
  • Makesbetween 12-18 cookies, I didn’t count 

Ingredients

  • one half of avocado
  • 1/4 cup applesauce
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/4 cup oats
  • 1/2 cup raisins

Directions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease up a baking sheet

2. Mix together the avocado, applesauce, sugar and egg 

I know it doesn't look appetizing... but it turns out great

I know it doesn’t look appetizing… but it turns out great

3. Literally just mix the rest of the ingredients of the above list

Before I added the raisins...can't say that I didn't eat some of the dough

Before I added the raisins…can’t say that I didn’t eat some of the dough

4. Scoop them out with a spoon and place them apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes

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No sense feeling bad about eating these..

And that’s it. Yeah–four steps. Four steps of guilt-free cookie munching. Yes, please! Perfect for last minute party ideas, whip them up in under twenty minutes and wow your friends with how yummy they taste and how guilt-free they are! Try this recipe out to stay hungry and fit!

  • Question of the Day: What’s your favorite kind of cookie?

BONUS KITTY PIC

^.^

^.^

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Whole-Wheat Zucchini Chocolate Chip Bread

So one of my clients gave me a RIDICULOUSLY big zucchini. Enormous. Like an elephant trunk. I wish I took a picture of it. So what to do with this unholy piece of vegetable? At first I would cut it up and roast or fry it…but then I was still left with half of the zucchini (I would probably measure it at 2 feet). So I say to myself…why not bake something you’ve tried before? Whole-wheat chocolate chip zucchini bread, of course! I got the recipe from here and tweaked it. And I may have added a few dashes of things to make it more Falllike. This is one delicious and healthy recipe! Let’s get to it.

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Baking Time60 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups whole-wheat flour
  • 2 cups shredded zucchini
  • 1 cup mini-chocolate chips
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a bread pan
  • First off, let’s peel and shred that darn zucchini. Remember you only need 2 cups worth, so don’t get too crazy

photo 1 (12)

  • Mix all the wet stuff (honey, oil, sugar, vanilla, and eggs) until nice and smooth
Whisk away

Whisk away

  • Now add the flour, salt, baking powder and soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg!  Mix it well
  • Now stir in the zucchini, nuts, and chocolate chips!
Could eat this batter allllll day

Could eat this batter allllll day

  • Now scoop this batter into that greased up bread pan and make even

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  • Now let’s put it in the oven for 55-60 minutes. Test it by sticking a fork or toothpick in it.
Nom nom nom

Nom nom nom

And that’s really it! The zucchini adds a wonderful texture to the bread. This is one great way of tricking your kids into eating zucchini by hiding it in this beautiful bread! Make sure to let cool for a little bit before serving, I know, it’s hard. Pretty simple recipe and instructions, perfect for leftover zucchini. After the first day, put in the fridge to keep the zucchini from going bad. Use this recipe to stay hungry and fit!

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BONUS KITTY PIC

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Easy Peasy Oat Bars

This has been on my recipe to-do list for a while now. An easy, healthy snack to bring on the go if I needed to. And to share with friends, of course. I also love recipes that are very customizable, you can add anything to this…within reason. Chris also really liked these, so I know they’re a good hit. Try this recipe out and play around with it, have fun! I got it from here, a famous blogger, but tweaked it for my own needs.

Square of happiness

Square of happiness

  • Serves: 9
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Baking Time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cup oats
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup turbinado sugar (I will probably play around with this one too–using honey or trying without!)
  • 3/8 cup olive oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1/3 cup dried cherries 

Directions

  • Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F
  • Grease up a baking pan that’s a few inches deep
  • Mix up the wet ingredients first and then mix in the dry. Stir it up until smooth

photo 1 (13)

  • Scoop the smooth mixture into the baking pan and make even
Get ready to bake

Get ready to bake

  • Pop it in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Mine was ready in about 23 minutes. Let it cool for a bit and then cut into squares
Cut it up!

Cut it up!

Yes, that’s how easy it is. I’m already planning to bake another batch tonight for the upcoming week. They are the perfect snack, below 250 calories and full of fiber and healthy fats. They’ll keep you satisfied for those busy hours when you don’t have time to put together a good snack or meal. And like I said, feel free to play around with it! I’m going to try chocolate chips, maybe throw some nuts in there, use honey instead of sugar, etc. Use this recipe to stay hungry and fit!

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BONUS KITTY PIC

Nymeria watching Spongebob...obviously has good taste like me ^.^

Nymeria watching Spongebob…obviously has good taste like me ^.^

 

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