Greek Yogurt Cookies

Greek Yogurt Cookies

This recipe has been sitting in my draft folder way too long.  I made them years ago for a fourth of July party and they disappeared so quickly I never got a great close up, and consequently never got around to sharing the recipe for the last two and a half years.  They are a very simple, moist, cake like cookie that I would compare closely to the Pumpkin Cookie recipe I shared in my very fist blog post. It's actually kind of funny that I also never got a photo of those cookies. It's usually a good thing when my treats disappear before they are documented. And it just means I should probably make them again!  I love the simple flavor that the fresh organic butter and whole wheat flour provide, but these would be fabulous with a little orange or lemon zest mixed in, or almond extract instead of vanilla. I've even added in chocolate chips in a similar cookie recipe using ricotta cheese instead of yogurt that I plan to post later this week. Think of it as a basic cake like sugar cookie recipe that can be adjusted in numerous ways, and decorated for any occasion. And if the three full cups of whole wheat flour is a bit hearty for your taste, you could definitely lighten it up with a little white flour, or even a cup of almond flour as a replacement. Now it's time to get baking!

Apple Cider Donuts

Apple Cider Donuts

Before apple season comes to a close, and jugs of cider are no longer at the entryway of my local grocery store, I figured I had better post this recipe. These are a slightly simplified version of my Apple Cider Muffin recipe from three years ago which used apple butter as one of the ingredients. This recipe uses almond flour and whole wheat pastry flour, so it has a little extra protein and a good amount of fiber, and a large percentage of the sweetness and moisture come from applesauce and apple cider. It would be wonderful with very finely chopped pieces of apple in it as well, or with walnuts, as I sprinkled on the tops of the four large muffins I made when I ran out of room in my two donut pans. They were literally gone within a day between the delicious weekend breakfast they provided and the snacks for the kids' (and my husband's) lunch the following day. And the chewy crunch from the highly nutritious chia seeds are one of my favorite parts of this amazingly sweet treat. I can't wait to bake them again!

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Happy (belated) Halloween!  This time of year, pumpkin spice is everywhere. Grocery store shelves are filled with pumpkin coffee cakes, pumpkin coffee, pumpkin cookies, even Cheerios are now made in pumpkin spice flavor. So of course I have to post yet another pumpkin recipe.  These are cupcakes I made for a Halloween party last year, and are very similar to my recipe for Maple and Chia Pumpkin Bars. They use a whole can of pumpkin, so they are very moist, full of real pumpkin flavor, and super simple to mix together.  They are great in donut form as well, eaten without frosting as a healthy morning meal, or decorated for Halloween festivities. If you are like me and have a lot of left over candy corn now that Halloween is passed, they will make a fantastic treat to surprise your kids with even after the sweetest of holidays has passed. Maybe I'll even make them today, since it is officially my half birthday, and I should at least eat (half) a cupcake!

Strawberry Pecan Baked Donuts

Strawberry Pecan Baked Donuts

Everybody loves donuts.  Especially my kids.  But obviously I want them to grow up strong and healthy, so donuts are not on our everyday menu.  But with this easy recipe, they can be! I had a large container of raw pecans that I had bought in bulk, so they weren't as expensive as pecans can sometimes be, but this recipe can easily be made using any type of nut, or nut butter if you don't have a food processor to make your own.  You could also substitute out the whole wheat flour for a gluten free variety, or use a vegan source of milk plus vinegar instead of the buttermilk.  The options are endless, but the results will be the same. Simple, easy to make, delicious and nutritious breakfast treats (or snacks) that your kids are sure to love.  As you can see by some of the photos, I did put a little Nutella on top of some of the donuts, but it is totally not necessary in my opinion.  Just something fun for a special Sunday breakfast.

Basic Chocolate Chip Cookies

Basic Chocolate Chip Cookies

I'm back!  As you may notice by looking at the dates of my posts, it's been almost three months since my last entry.  In other words, I basically took the summer off to spend a lot of quality time with my kids, my husband, my extended family, and friends.  I still spent a lot of time in my kitchen baking, cooking, trying out new recipes and perfecting old ones, but I chose to go to the beach, or the pool, or a neighbor's house afterwards instead of sitting at my computer organizing recipes and photos.  But now that my kids are back in school (6th and 2nd grade!), I don't have any great excuses as to why I am not writing up new and exciting recipes for the world to enjoy.

This is a very basic chocolate chip cookie recipe, with the healthy twist of using mostly whole wheat flour.  It is basically the same recipe you will find on the back of most bags of chocolate chips, but I felt that a food blog is not complete without the most standard American cookie recipe, and my family's favorite.  And since it is back to school time, what better way to send your kids off with a little love than a homemade chocolate chip cookie as a snack. 

I hope everyone reading this has a great school year, and I promise to keep posting new and exciting recipes that will be perfect for quick weeknight dinners, fun weekend get togethers and of course, school lunches.

Cinnamon Sugar Cookies

Cinnamon Sugar Cookies

Now that Spring is officially in the air, I thought I would share my flower shaped cinnamon sugar cookie recipe.  I made these a few months ago, in the middle of winter, on one of the only snow days we had.  The cookie cutters that I found in a small shop in Falmouth, MA made it extra fun, and my daughter enjoyed adding the sprinkles onto the flowers with me.  This is a basic sugar cookie recipe, with the addition of cinnamon, and the replacement of white flour with organic whole wheat, and switching out the eggs for soaked chia seeds.  I love the little chewiness of the chia seeds, but you could definitely just use eggs instead if you prefer. When my kids are helping me and getting their hands into everything, I like knowing there is no raw egg in the dough they are playing with, so the soaked chia seeds are a nice alternative.

Coconut Lime Sugar Cookies

Coconut Lime Sugar Cookies

Welcome Spring!  This recipe honestly tastes more like Summer, with the tropical lime and coconut flavors, but why not get a jump start on the warmer months of the year!  Granted this winter has not been so bad here in Pennsylvania, but the 60 degree days and the flowers beginning to bloom in my yard are always a welcome sign of the season to come. I made these sugar cookies for my softball team's end of season party last June and for some reason never got around to sharing them, or making them again for that matter, which I really need to do. Based on a very basic sugar cookie recipe*, this creation uses coconut oil, coconut nectar and shredded coconut, along with lime zest, to add an amazing pop of flavor to an all time favorite cookie.  Like most sugar cookies, these taste better after a couple of days, when the flavors really come together.  And with organic whole wheat flour and healthy coconut oil, they are a treat that is actually great for you and your family!

Guinness Cupcakes

Dark Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes
with Baileys Cream Cheese Frosting

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  I actually made these amazing cupcakes last year for St. Paddy's day, but never got around to finishing this post until the holiday had long since past, so I was waiting until this year to share with everyone.  I am sure most of you have seen recipes like this circulating in the previous days and weeks on social media, and I am sure there are lots of different ways to make Irish liquor infused treats.  This recipe of course uses mostly organic ingredients, a lot of whole wheat flour, high protein Greek yogurt, and antioxidant rich dark cocoa powder.  Of course there is a ton of sugar in the frosting, which is honestly so good you could eat it with a spoon, but this is a dessert after all.  For a holiday.  And they go great with a strong beer, or an Irish coffee!  May the luck of the day be with you all!!

Candy Cane Cupcake Muffins

Candy Cane Cupcake Muffins

Now that Spring is just around the corner, I thought it was time to finally take away all the candy canes that had been sitting in jars and vases in my living room.  But I didn't want to throw them away, and I didn't want my kids to have a candy fest over the weekend, so what did I do?  I made peppermint candy cane "sugar"!  Granted, it has red dye, plain white sugar, corn syrup, and plenty of other unhealthy ingredients, but not everything has to be perfect, and not tossing something usable into the garbage has to count for something.  I have decorated cookies with ground up candy canes before, (Peppermint Sugar Cookie Pinwheels), but I have never actually used the candy canes as the only sweetener. So this was definitely a fun little experiment, and something that I could also use if needed in other mint recipes when I don't have the (much healthier) fresh mint ingredient on hand (Dark Chocolate Peppermint Brownies). The smell when grinding up the candy canes was great enough, but the smell of these muffins in the oven was even better.  And since they are full of whole wheat flour (fiber, protein), and heart healthy canola oil, they are a good breakfast treat, or afternoon snack.  I just enjoyed mine with a cup of tea and a small dish of raw walnuts. Tasted amazing. And a little bit like Winter, because technically, it still is!

Whole Wheat Pound Cake

Whole Wheat Pound Cake

Birthdays are definitely an occasion when healthy eating is not the first thought that comes to mind.  This cake is not necessarily a health food that you should eat every day, especially when covered in frosting and jelly beans, but I love the simplicity, richness, and old fashioned nature of this recipe.  I first remember hearing the term "pound cake" while reading the Laura Ingalls Wilder series as a young child, although I am sure my mom, an avid baker, had made me one without me even knowing it before then.  If you are a regular on my blog, you know that I like rich, dense desserts, so of course this type of super heavy pound cake is an all time favorite.  If you prefer light, fluffy cakes, then this recipe is definitely not for you, but if you want to feel like a pioneer woman, and bake a cake that you can really sink your teeth into, then this is perfect.

I made this corn cob cake for my son's 11th birthday this past fall when he had his party at a corn maze. It was a huge hit with the kids and the parents, and it wasn't just because of the jelly beans that took me almost two hours to place.  Crazy, I know, and as one of my mom friends commented, "you have way too much time on your hands."  Definitely not true, I just chose this cake as a priority one afternoon and made sure I got it assembled in time.  Of course, in the name of nutrition, I used more than half whole wheat flour, and all organic ingredients to make this, so it's definitely better for you than something you would buy in a store, or the "pound cake" that comes in a box and lasts for months on a shelf.  Definitely not the same thing.  I have been meaning to make a chocolate version of this recipe, and promise to post it as soon as I get around to baking it. Just remember to eat this dessert in moderation so you don't end up gaining a pound too!  ;)

Homemade Pop Tarts

Homemade Pop Tarts

Who doesn't love a pop tart? I remember begging my mom to buy them back in the 80s, and my kids now bug me every time we go to the grocery store to buy them as well.  Luckily there are organic, slightly healthier versions available in the store these days, but in my opinion, if it comes in a box, with an expiration date months in the future, it can't really be that good for you.  And plus, these are so much fun to make at home! I like to use my organic whole wheat, coconut oil crust as the base for these, but the choice of fillings is endless!  At this time of year, I'm thinking that a pumpkin spice filling would be perfect and I now want to try that out, so please check back for the update!  In the meantime, your favorite jam or jelly, Nutella, or another nut butter, or a combination of some sort will work perfectly. Even some chocolate chips and fresh fruit could work. Perfect option for a Sunday morning!

Strawberry Coconut Banana Pie

Strawberry Coconut Banana Pie

This recipe is about a year old, but by the time I put the post together, strawberry season was long over.  But it's June again, and my backyard strawberry patch is beginning to bloom, so what better time to share this delicious, out of the ordinary, pie recipe.  I can't even remember where I saw my inspiration for this, using fresh bananas in a pie that you bake, which I had never heard of before.  My mom, who is an amazing baker, even thought it sounded weird, but I was convinced it would add a layer of creamy sweetness to the dish.  I must say, I was right.  One of the ingredients, the sweetened coconut flakes, were new to me, something that my sister in law in Canada, where I baked this pie, had bought at Costco.  Hopefully you can find them as well, or just substitute regular coconut flakes and add some sugar.  The pie tastes like a tropical delight and is perfect for a warm summer day, either for breakfast, a snack, or dessert. Happy strawberry picking!!

Blueberry Beer Biscuits

Blueberry Beer Biscuits

"We're eating beer?!"  My kids always think it's hilarious when I bake with beer.  I just think it's delicious.  Beer biscuits have become a weekend morning staple in my house because they are quick, easy, delicious and full of healthy fiber.  They taste great plain, with butter, jelly or as a base for a magnificent breakfast sandwich. But with all the choices of flavored beers available these days, I couldn't just stick to my basic recipe. I am not sure if the beer flavor actually adds a whole lot of difference to the recipe, but it is fun to use as inspiration. These would be even better in the summer with freshly picked blueberries, but frozen ones work just as well.  So pick up your favorite beer and get baking! (you should also try my Raspberry and Cocoa Beer Biscuits for an even sweeter treat!)

Raspberry and Cocoa Beer Biscuits

Raspberry and Cocoa Beer Biscuits

I couldn't stop with just one variation on my Beer Biscuits, so the weekend after I first made my Blueberry Beer Biscuits, I changed the recipe a little more and made these. They are so moist, and delicate, with a rich chocolate flavor, that I almost felt guilty eating them for breakfast, but not for long.  You could easily substitute the butter in any of these recipes for coconut oil for a different flavor and nutrient content, and as I stated with the blueberry ones, any type of beer and mix in would work as well.  My favorite part is that from start to finish, it only takes about 30 minutes and my family can enjoy a healthy, slightly indulgent, home baked breakfast.  And if you have left overs, they freeze great and are perfect to pack into a kids lunch for a treat all their friends, and teachers, will want to try!

Orange Blondie Brownies

Orange Blondie Brownies

This past Christmas, my family was fortunate to spend a week in Florida.  While I was there I picked up a jar of fruit sweetened tangerine marmalade that has since been sitting in the back of my fridge waiting to be enjoyed.  I am not one to often eat toast and jam and for some reason most of my family doesn't like orange marmalade, despite loving orange juice, so I decided to use it to bake with before it got forgotten behind the cartons of milk and became a science experiment. Since it is March 1st, and although it is snowing, I feel glad that the coldest, stormiest month of the season is (hopefully) behind us, and what better way to celebrate than by baking a little sunshine into my kitchen.  These treats are made with organic whole wheat flour, almond flour,coconut oil and Greek yogurt, so there are plenty of nutrients your body needs and a sweetness your taste buds want. Now if it would only stop snowing!  

Cherry Almond Beer Bread

Cherry Almond Beer Bread

It's another snowy day here in PA, and what better way to warm up than to bake a loaf of bread!  OK, I know it might be more fun to sit under a blanket with a good book or watch a movie while snuggling someone you love, but honestly, I don't think there is any better smell in the world than bread baking in the oven.  And when it only takes a couple of minutes to mix a dough from scratch, I swear the aroma is even sweeter.  This recipe is a simple twist on my original Beer Bread, with a few extra flavor enhancers added in.  The result is a bread with just enough sweetness to serve as a dessert, but not so much that you think it's a cake. I like using different flavors of beer as the inspiration and with all the varieties available today, the options are honestly endless.  So experiment with your favorite and get baking!

*I know I usually take a photo of the bread after cutting a few slices, but this bread was so delicious that as soon as I cut it and tried a piece, my kids and I devoured it. Sorry!

Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins

Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins

Ever have left over oatmeal that you don't want to throw away, but definitely don't want to eat as a bowl of mush again?  I know I sometimes do, so when that happens and I know I will have time within the next couple of days to do some baking, I turn to a recipe like this one. I actually made this on request from my sister in law in Canada who loved my recipe for Blueberry Steel Cut Oatmeal Scones last year.  I had planned to just make the same thing again, but to be honest, I didn't feel like grating up a stick of butter. I usually get my husband to do that task, but he was busy helping his dad on a construction job, so I made up a muffin recipe instead.  I totally made this one up out of my head using left over steel cut oats from breakfast, adding a little of this and a little of that until the batter looked right, and they turned out fantastic.  To be honest, when they first came out of the oven and then fell apart when I tried to take them out of the pan too soon, I got worried.  But once they cooled completely, they came out of the papers just fine and were extremely moist, sweet and amazingly popular with my four year old nephew.  They honestly taste like a mini bowl of oatmeal in portable cupcake form, so they were an easy way to get my kids and my nephew to eat a healthy breakfast while running around dressed in superhero costumes.  I am sure you could easily substitute regular oats and could definitely use canola oil instead of butter, and the end result would be just as good. And the best part is that it uses frozen berries so there is no excuse as to why you can't make them in the middle of the winter as well!

Gingerbread Pancakes

Gingerbread Pancakes

What do you get when you combine the recipes for Gingerbread Muffins and Buttermilk Pancakes? Gingerbread Pancakes!!  And the perfect Christmas (or any) morning breakfast.  The best part of this recipe is that the batter can be made the night before and then all you have to do in the morning is (get your husband) to cook the pancakes!  And you honestly don't even need syrup or anything else on them.  They are high in fiber and whole grains and all of the spices make them especially good for you, and tasty!!  You can easily make them vegan by using the soaked chia seeds instead of eggs, oil instead of butter and soy milk and vinegar instead of buttermilk.  Either way, they are super simple, and absolutely unforgettable. I am so glad I took the time to figure out this recipe and that they turned out so perfectly on the first try.  Considering this was the first Christmas morning my family and I didn't travel to visit any extended relatives, it was important to me to have a memorable morning meal for my family of four. And the left overs are great heated up in the toaster as well!!  

Peppermint Sugar Cookie Pinwheels

Peppermint Sugar Cookie Pinwheels

I seriously thought I would have posted a basic sugar cookie recipe already, but I guess I overlooked that last year when posting all my different versions of the original: (Vegan Coconut sugar Cookies and Vegan Chocolate Sugar Cookies). So here is the most basic sugar cookie recipe that I like to use, of course embellished for a Christmas theme.  Obviously you can use all white flour if you want lighter colored and textured cookies, but I love the hearty flavor and nutritional benefits of whole wheat and love giving cookies as a gift that are slightly unexpected and show people that even delicious treats can be healthy as well.  Some would argue that a "healthy cookie" defeats the purpose of a treat, and while I totally understand that sentiment, sometimes it is nice to be able to indulge while knowing you aren't completely sabotaging yourself.  But I honestly dare you to try these without completely falling in love with them because they are ridiculously good, and like all sugar cookies, they taste even better a couple of days after baking.  So you can enjoy them throughout the entire holiday season.

Nutella Filled Cupcakes

Nutella Filled Cupcake

My (baby) daughter just turned six this past weekend and we celebrated with a fantastic pajama dance party at her dance school.  And since I wanted to be considerate of the dance floors and not have a bunch of frosting covered kids running around, I thought this "outside in" idea would work perfectly.  I tried out the recipe a couple of weeks ahead of time to make sure it worked, so there are two sets of photos below.  The recipe I made for my family only used organic whole wheat pastry flour, but to make them a bit more kid friendly for the party I used half organic white flour the second time.  Of course some kids complained there was "no frosting", but once they took a bite and found the inside, there were very few empty plates left. This is one of my more labor intensive baking recipes because you have to use a couple of steps to fill the muffin papers, but the result is totally worth it.  And the cupcake recipe itself is a no fail, go to recipe for "healthy" vanilla cupcakes, with or without filling.  By substituting a little bit of the fat with applesauce and yogurt, as well as the use of organic canola oil, it is not as bad as most cake recipes and 100% better than anything you could buy in a store.  They taste amazing, and this health conscious mom had no trouble eating one as part of breakfast the next day because they are that good.