{Healthier} Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl "Cupcakes"

Are these muffins? Are these cupcakes? Are they some sort of healthier hybrid?? We may never know. But-for simplicity's sake...we'll call them cupcakes. Even though they have no frosting...and are actually acceptable for breakfast...

...just....go with me on this.

These cupcakes are made with whole wheat flour, Greek yogurt, egg whites, TWO bananas, and  swirl of peanut butter (or-in my case-homemade almond peanut butter). They also have unsweetened cocoa powder and dark chocolate chips which are perfectly fine. And...and I mean...there's also a little bit of all purpose flour, sugar, and some peanut butter chips. But not much of them! So I definitely still ate these as my healthy snack and for breakfast. (Not that I've never eaten a full on cupcake or cookie for breakfast...I have...I just, ya know, felt semi-bad about it.)

My brother and I were big fans of these--which makes sense. They combine chocolate, banana, and peanut butter. Which we love. Our only complaint is a wish that there was more peanut butter sooo---if you wanna be extra generous with your peanut butter swirl...I certainly would approve. Michael didn't adore these (he thought they were fine), largely because they have a fairly obvious banana flavor and he is not a banana fan. But that's ok! They're so moist and soft and there's gooey chocolate chips (if you're smart and eat these warm) and a bit of peanut butter and just...mmm. They're delicious enough that I don't mind not sharing!

Chocolate Chunk Waffles with Banana and Almond Butter

Look-before we get to waffles. Can we just talk about my neuroses right now? I feel like there are these events in your life that you look forward to and that are built up to be a thing--namely 16th birthday, prom, and your wedding. For me--those were the 3 ultimate events. And on the previous 2 I ended up with nothing but a mess of disappointment. Not only did I not get a super cool 16th birthday party with like a d.j. or whatever (I had big hopes and dreams)...I got no birthday party at all. The friend who I entrusted with it (and who INSISTED she be the one to throw it)--ended up being "too busy" and flaked on it. Which I found out about when it was like...my birthday. (My best friend is still pissed that I didn't just let her throw it. SORRY ALEX!) And then prom..I mean I went to like 4 proms and all were kind of ok. Definitely not magical. And my senior prom in particular-my dress was blah and I went with my gay friend and ended up crying the whole time because I was still heartbroken about the guy I'd been dating and who I'd gone to prom with the previous year, thusly resulting in me getting hit with memories everywhere I looked. Not exactly a great night.

So...now it's all on the wedding. And I'm terrified. I know it won't be perfect but--I mean...I'd love for it to still be GOOD...like maybe even great...ya know? But I'm so scared something will happen (family drama, Michael being cranky, me getting my period--sorry TMI--...etc.) I've legitimately been having nightmares about being disappointed by my wedding for like...ever. At least as long as Michael and I have been together (so 5+ years). The good news is: most of my dream fears have already been 100% made impossible. But still. Ya know. Worries and such.

Do any of you guys know what I mean? And if you've had a wedding--any advice?

Enough about me being a crazy person.

Let's discuss waffles, shall we?

These were the 1st waffles I got to make in my brand new waffle maker that I got from one of my bridal showers. And ohhh they turned out beautifully! These waffles are thick and crisp on the outside while being delightfully chewy on the inside. There are decadent chunks of chocolate that you get the delightful surprise of biting into. They're simple to whip up (no beating egg whites or anything fancy like that) Annd...oh yeah...they are fairly healthyish (thanks to whole wheat, decreased sugar, etc.)!

And for an extra tasty and nutritious breakfast or snack---I topped these waffles with almond butter and banana slices. HEAVEN! I also broke leftovers into quarters, froze them, and then toasted them as needed. Which results in the best toaster waffles ever--and much healthier ones!

Michael ate his waffles with butter and syrup and loved them too. They were pretty much a hit all around. You should give 'em a try ;)

Spinach and Artichoke Hummus

I love spinach artichoke dip, I love hummus. So...really...it just makes sense to combine the two! They're both delicious dips. They're both crowd pleasers. They both took some time for me to warm up to.

Yepp. When I first tried spinach and artichoke dip I was not sold. However, my best friend insisted we share it every time we went to Friday's together so I eventually grew to love it. And hummus I wasn't sold on, until I had my 10th bite. Then I couldn't get enough. Which is exactly what happened with this hybrid. At first I was all, "Ohhh...hmmm...I dunno."

And now I can't stop shoveling it into my face. Same thing with Michael. He was like "Eh, it's ok." 20 minutes later he yelled, "TAKE THIS AWAY FROM ME I CANNOT STOP EATING IT!"

Thank goodness we got to the point of being unable to stop eating it becaaause...I totally should have waited to make this until there was a party, because it definitely makes a large party-sized amount. I was a little overwhelmed when I realized how much hummus I had just made. So--be prepared for that. If you're not planning on bringing it someplace, halve the recipe. You'll still have plenty. Not that any that I made went to waste. Oh nooo-I ate it right up. Yes yes yes!

And the taste? Honestly...it's exactly what you'd expect. It's like hummus merged with spinach and artichoke dip. 

So, yeah. That's the story of how Kayle got some veggies into her system thanks to hummus!

3 Ingredient Almond Butter Cookies

So, as you may know, I had my first bridal shower this past Saturday. One really cute aspect was that every place setting had a little recipe card holder (which was a favor) that held a recipe from THIS blog (and a photo). It was super adorable and made my heart smile to see people fight over who got which recipe and to hear my future mother-in-law tell everyone about my blog in a proud voice.

The poor thing, though. When she was putting together all the recipes she was trying to find recipes that weren't too long-so that they would fit. It was a bit challenging for her. It's a shame that I hadn't made these cookies yet, because I bet they would have been PERFECT.

These are probably one of the shortest recipes I've ever written on the blog, The ingredient list? 3. The preparation? Essentially just mix it together and bake. It's a little craaazy. But also awesome.

And oh hey-they're pretty healthy. Due to the fact that the only ingredients are almond butter, an egg, and sugar. The sugar is the sole not very healthy factor BUT...there's not much of it.

The cookies are chewy and have a perfect texture (kind of shocking, due to the ingredient list). They taste pretty fab also. One major thing to keep in mind, though--make sure you use an almond butter whose flavor you LOVE (you can also sub in any kind of nut butter). Due to the fact that these cookies are mostly almond butter...that's pretty much all they taste like. So, if you like the nut butter, you'll love the cookies!

Healthy Deep Dish Chocolate Chip Cookies {Gluten-free, Vegan}

I wanted to believe in the whole "chickpeas can totally taste like chocolate chip cookies" thing. I did.

But there was a part of me that just...couldn't really trust it.

Until I made these. And now I am a TRUE believer! BECAUSE OMG YOU GUYS IT'S TRUE! IT'S REALLY REALLY TRUE! Not like when people say cauliflour can taste like potatoes (it does not) or that green beans can taste like french fries (NEVER!)--no....hear me when I tell you that these cookies that have no flour, no butter, no eggs, and a whole can of chickpeas....they taste like ooey, gooey, decadent, CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES!

My life begins today.

First of all, a logistical note: you can double this recipe and make it in a pie dish (the baking time would just be a bit longer). However, I love single serving little deep dish cookies in ramekins. So that's what I decided to do. And these are probably the easiest cookies ever. You just throw the ingredients into a food processor and process everything together. Sort of like cookie dough hummus :P And you mix in chocolate chips (because we need those...for life.) and bake these little treats up! And they just taste like a warm, soft, gooey deep dish chocolate chip cookie. No one will ever guess that they're healthy!

Our little secret ;)

Rice, Cheddar, & Spinach Pie

Ha...I just realized that I'm posting 2 pies this week. I mean...obviously very very different sorts of pie but still...I am amused. And pleased. Because pie is amazing. And we all need more of it.

I have no clue what I'm doing with rice. I did not grow up in a household where rice was served. Pasta-yes. Rice-not so much. And no one I knew really ate much of it until I got older and moved outside of my little circle. And I know Michael likes rice and I know brown rice is good for you so I really am working on figuring out how to use it more and create rice recipes. And this is my first attempt!

First of all--this rice bake can be either a side dish or a main dish, and it can be vegetarian or...not. I chose to throw some chicken in there when I made it so it would be more of a meal for Michael, but you can substitute that (like for sausage or whatever) or omit it completely and let this just be a vegetarian side! It's cheesy, hearty, filling, and super tasty. A rice success!

{Healthy} Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oat Bars- #ChocPBDay

Welcome to the 2nd annual Chocolate Peanut Butter Day!!! 

A group of bloggers (hosted by the amazing and talented Carla of Chocolate Moosey and Miriam of Overtime Cook) have declared March 25th the official day to celebrate the ultimate of flavor pairings: chocolate and peanut butter! We had so much fun last year that of course I was excited to celebrate again this year!

Chocolate and peanut butter are my absolute favorite. My favorite candies growing up all had that beautiful pairing and SO MANY of the desserts I've made are choc/pb-fied (last year I even did a round up of 35 chocolate and peanut butter recipes on the blog...and goodness knows I've made many many more over the course of the year!) I've even been known to melt together some chocolate and peanut butter for a quick and richly delicious treat when I have no other sweets around. That is the depth of my love. (In a perfect world I'd have chocolate cake with peanut butter filling for my wedding cake but...alas...I'm playing it safe in case there are allergies.)

As you can tell if you've visited this little blog-ette of mine in 2015--I'm on a bit of a "healthier" kick. Partly just because I want to get back to a better place physically and partly because my wedding is quickly approaching! So these bars that I decided to make are on the healthier side. But you know what's funny? Almost every healthy dessert I make involves chocolate and peanut butter. Why? Peanut butter is delicious BUT also full of protein and good stuff and oftentimes makes an excellent substitute for butter. And chocolate is an antioxidant and...well...I need it. So I throw it in nearly everything to keep me sane. The point is-it was definitely not difficult to find something to make for Chocolate Peanut Butter Day! 

Here is the beauty of healthy treats: they can be dessert, a snack, or breakfast! So these chewy, hearty, delicious bars (which have just the right amount of sweetness) may be consumed thrice a day. In fact...I think I'd recommend it. Good for the soul and all that.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Coconut Nutty Granola

This is my favorite thing I've made lately.

Like...every time I eat it I want to just go "Mmmmm....SO GOOD!" and then I curse myself for not making homemade granola more often. Because then I could have eaten this deliciousness sooner.

This granola tastes better than candy. It's sweet and crunchy and chocolatey and nutty and...it almost tastes as bit caramelized. It's the best granola I've ever eaten and by far the best I've ever made. Before making this recipe I hadn't really thought through how adaptable granola is. Like...you can pretty much throw whatever stuff you want in there. And that is what I did. And it turns out all the odds and ends I needed to use up were the perfect mix. Kismet!

Oats are the base of granola. Then some coconut oil and honey and dark chocolate peanut butter bind and sweeten the entire thing. And then...add whatever you choose. In this case I chose to add whole almonds and chopped hazelnuts and pecans and-my unexpected favorite-toasted coconut flakes. Oh my GAWD, those toasted coconut flakes after they were baked in the entire mixture turned out to be ridiculously irresistible. So friggin delicious. The entire thing was-just the most satisfying snack or breakfast or...heck...dessert!

You have GOT to try it!

Dark Chocolate Nuts & Sea Salt Bars {KIND Bars Copy Cat}-Guest Post at American Heritage Cooking

Hey friends! Do you remember Lindsey, from American Heritage Cooking?

She guest posted over here for me while I was in the midst of that whole annoying moving situation. And now SHE'S living in NYC and attending culinary school and it's all crazy exciting and I'm so happy for her but she's super busy so I'm returning the favor and posting over there today :)

Now-on to the wonderful treats that I'm sharing. They're awesome, all. They're a copy cat recipe for KIND bars (a kind of granola sort of bar)--and these are cheaper, healthier, and tastier! And they're super simple to make, I promise! They're subtly sweet and crunchy with just a touch of sea salt on top to balance the whole thing. If you love nuts and dark chocolate (and like...who doesn't?) these are the perfect healthy snack for you!

So if you want the recipe for the delicious Dark Chocolate Nuts & Sea Salt Bars, click on over to read the post on American Heritage Cooking! xoxo

Multigrain Waffles/Pancakes

This recipe can also be known as "the one that finally made me throw my waffle iron out."

Hold on! Wait! Don't go! It's not the recipe's fault! My waffle iron was sort of broken for a bit and this is just when I realized "Oh hey....the top of the waffle iron isn't cooking at all." which was extremely frustrating because it took me quite a few waffles that ended up all messed up and in the garbage before I realized the problem wasn't on my end-that it was my waffle maker. I did manage to salvage 1 waffle so yay! We got some pictures! And with the remaining batter I just made some pancakes!

So yes...my waffle maker is now dead. BUT the good news is there's only a couple more months until my bridal showers where I will hopefully receive the one I registered for :D.

Anyway. On to this recipe. It is super hearty and full of good for you stuffs. I also folded in some whipped egg whites to make them crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside (which is much more noticeable when they are in waffle form).

The pancakes and waffles are chewy and tasty and pretty and this recipe makes a bunch so you can freeze whatever you don't eat and just pop into the toaster (or microwave or oven) when you're ready for a simple, healthy, breakfast!

Plus--you can totally play around with how you top them or what you add into them. As you probably know by now, I like to add chocolate chips and spread nut butter on top. Michael likes chopped apples and cinnamon in his pancakes, and he pretty much is always a fan of fruit and whipped cream on top of waffles--he's also a fan of the classic butter & syrup combo. How would you eat your pancakes or waffles?

Multi-Nut Butter

I've been sitting on the idea of making a nut butter with a variety of nuts for awhile. And then I recently realized that I actually have 4 varieties of nuts, right now, in my kitchen. So it was nut butter time!

As I've mentioned quite a few times before--making homemade nut butters is unbelievably easy and so entirely customizable. You can add pretty much anything you want to it--honey, chocolate, vanilla, etc. Or you could add nothing and just let it be an ultra healthy nut butter! This is the same. I've given you the amounts of nuts and the varieties that I used but you can completely mix it up to suit your own needs! And your end result is a delicious, healthy, natural (and no-stir!) nut butter!

For my multi-nut butter I had almonds and peanuts as the predominant nuts (peanuts have a good amount of oil so that way I wouldn't need to add oil during the process. And almonds are ultra good for you!) and then walnuts (which I don't love but are some of the healthier nuts) and pecans (which taste oh so good but are prob. the least healthy nuts). And then I just added a smidgen bit of salt and honey. And now I have a delicious, creamy (of all the nut butters I've made this one doesn't get as thick and hard in the refrigerator-which I looove) thing to spread on my pancakes, toast, or to bake with!

Get on board and get your food processor ready!

Black Bean Soup {Panera Copy-Cat}

Michael has become obsessed with Panera's black bean soup. And we live about 3 minutes from one so this has become a dangerous fact. So-in an attempt to save us money and Michael's health, I decided to try to make a homemade version of the desired soup. And it worked out pretty darned well, if I do say so myself!

Once Michael tasted it he gave me a couple small changes to help make the recipe closer to the original (which are reflected in the recipe below) but he was a pretty happy camper. He gobbled this soup up on its own or with some pita bread. He probably would have loved it even more if I'd put sour cream and cheese on it but...shhh...don't tell him.

When asked to describe the black bean soup Michael said it was a nice, thick, soup. Flavorful and hearty and "fills up your belly". Perfect for a cold night! (And omgeeee has it been cold lately! I think all of us dealing with winter right now NEED and deserve soup!)

Easy Balsamic Vinaigrette

I have been dying to make my own salad dressing and I finally did it!

And it's healthy! And delicious! And makes you want to eat salad!

As it turns out it's super easy to make a vinaigrette that is tailored to your own tastes. You just need a particular ratio of oil to vinegar/balsamic and then season however you prefer! When I made this dressing I didn't actually need to season it as I had bottles of flavored/infused olive oil and balsamic that I received in the gift exchange with Michael's family. (His cousin lives in Pennsylvania and there's a store there-called the Lavendar Rabbit-where he bought the oils and balsamics. I happen to love salad with apples and garlic-y kind of flavors and, luckily, there was a bottle of Parmesan Garlic Rosemary olive oil and a Red Apple Balsamic! Yum! In the future, since my delicious flavored options are now gone, I'm sure I'll be using some garlic powder and things of that nature to spice it up.

So, like I was saying...easy. You just whisk together the ingredients and then pour it into whatever bottle you wish to serve/store the dressing in. And-as long as you don't add any perishable items (such as Parmesan cheese)-you can even store it at room temperature for a month or so. The oil and vinegar will separate so you just need to shake well before drizzling over your favorite salad. Making healthy eating delicious!

Evolution Fresh Giveaway (Closed)

Evolution Fresh (which you may remember from this blog post) is encouraging everyone to get healthy with their #3DaystoGreen challenge their green juices (they offer 4 cold-pressed green juices that include more than a pound of green vegetables in each bottle!) To help you take on their green incentive, we've got a...

GIVEAWAY! (CLOSED)

The winner is comment #20-auntiepatch69!

One lucky Cooking Actress reader will win an $40 gift card to purchase Evolution Fresh at Starbucks as well as a coupon for one FREE bottle of Evolution Fresh.

Giveaway closes January 29, 2015, 11:59PM EST.  After the contest is over, I will send the winner an email (so please make sure you provide an email address or some other way to get in touch with you), and get you your prize. The winner will have 3 days to respond or another winner will be chosen, all prizes will be awarded. The winner will be chosen via a random number generator. Open to continental U.S. residents over the age of 18. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.

How to enter: (REQUIRED FOR ENTRY IN THIS GIVEAWAY) 

Check out the #3DaysToGreen website and, if you want, enter the giveaway over there! Leave a comment telling me you entered or which green juice you're most excited to try.

Additional (optional) entries: (you will receive one additional entry for each of the following--so if you leave a comment for all of them, you can have a total of up to 9 entries/chances to win!) MAKE SURE TO LEAVE A SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY-these entries are optional, not required.

• "Like" The Cooking Actress on Facebook-leave a comment on this post to let me know you did so.
• Follow The Cooking Actress on Pinterest-and leave a separate comment letting me know. 
• Follow The Cooking Actress by email-leave another comment.
• Follow me on Twitter @kayleblogna-leave a separate comment on here to tell me.
• Follow me on Instagram @kayleblogna-leave another comment, saying you did so.
• "Like" Evolution Fresh on Facebook-leave a comment on here letting me know.
• Follow @evolutionfresh on Twitter-leave a comment telling me you did.
• Tweet this about the giveaway:  (and leave a comment on this post afterwards)  
• I want to win the @evolutionfresh #3daystogreen #giveaway from @kayleblogna #thecookingactress http://bit.ly/1xJla3V

**If you already like/follow any of these, it still counts. Just let me know you already follow each in separate comments**

Disclaimer: Evolution Fresh provided me with a some Evolution Fresh products as well as the products to be won for this giveaway, and I was under no obligation to review if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or host a product giveaway in return for the free product. My opinions, as always, are all my own. We are not liable for technical failures or typographical errors, or resolving identity disputes related to the winner.VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. 

Scallion Parmesan Hummus

I'm reeeeeally getting into this whole hummus thing. It's all healthy and stuff AND it's delicious?? WOOT!

It has sort of become my go-to when I need to bring an appetizer and I don't have time. Because if I have chickpeas? I can make hummus and it'll take like....5 minutes. Plus it's a total crowd-pleaser! 

As much as I adored the roasted garlic hummus I made this summer, I knew Michael was a bit overwhelmed by the garlic so I decided to go a different route. Plus...I had some scallions that needed to get used. So I sort of threw together this recipe.

I'm gonna let you in on a little secret, though: don't get thrown off by how hummus tastes right after you make it. After it sits for awhile it always ends up mellowing out and tasting SO MUCH better! I was super worried that the scallion flavor was too strong, at first, but then after time I didn't worry anymore. It was just delicious!

I made this hummus for "Crofford Christmas" (Michael's dad's side's Christmas celebration) and full disclosure: I was that weird person who couldn't stop eating the dish that I brought. I felt so guilty as I kept going back for more and more of my own hummus! Like..."Kayle...you brought this for other people...don't be that girl"...but I couldn't help it. It was just smooth and delicious and I could not resist!

As it turns out...neither could anyone else. Success!

Baked Lemon-Thyme Tilapia

It is so much easier for me to make Michael healthy meals. I feel like he just has a plethora of options that I, being a picky eater, do not. But in some ways it makes cooking for him sort of fun-I get to be creative! Improvise! And that is what happened when I made this tilapia.

First I just wanted to make some sort of baked fish. Then I decided to make a packet I had of Hodgson Mill garlic herb quinoa. Then I was like, "Hey. Let's use some Star garlic cooking oil and cook some spinach up too." So I did those things. And served them. And Michael was like 'Om nom nom."

The fish is flaky and tender and the little bit of sauce that the tilapia cooks in adds just the right amount of flavor while still keeping this a pretty healthy dish. And I like this recipe because it doesn't smell as fishy as other things do....#realtalk.

Honestly, I'm crazy proud of this recipe-it'll take you no time at all to make (so no excuses for not having time for healthy dinner!), can be easily doubled (if you're entertaining or have a large family), and Michael raved about it. Restaurant-quality eating with all the comforts of home!

Crispy {Healthier} Waffles

Those darned liege wafels make me want to eat Nutella on my waffles. All the time. It's irresistible. Especially now that I was able to go back to NY for a bit and have another taste of my beloved Wafels and Dinges. *Le sigh* I really need to redouble my efforts to recreate their waffles (maaaaybe after the wedding, though.)

Hey-you remember those "leggo my Eggo" commercials (heck...they may still have them on. Perhaps just on children's channels?) Anyway...toaster waffles. They're a thing but they've never really done it for me. However I have a hard time finding the time or energy to make myself a legit. breakfast in the morning. Usually I just grab something small and easy that is sitting around. If there's nothing healthy...then cookies happen.

Which I know is bad.

But-good news! I've learned that if I break waffles into fourths and freeze them I can then re-heat them in the toaster and eat them up in the morning time with very little fuss! And if you make your waffles fairly healthyish...it's a pretty good breakfast. (Yes...I realize...nutella does not a healthy breakfast make. Pretend I used almond butter.)

These waffles are great because they use whole wheat flour and coconut oil to make them a bit healthier plus they have rice cereal in them! Which is a unique and fun little spin that adds a bit of extra crispness.

(But...pssst....these waffles are still my favoritest.)

I love this new breakfast hack so much that I am much more motivated to occasionally make a bunch of waffles because I know that I'm going to be having some gooood breakfasts for a few days, at least! And I know little cheats like this will make my life easier when I-eventually-start having kiddos. 

Now I'm trying to thick of really healthy waffles I could try to make to feed my theoretical, down the road, children....yepp. Par for the course with my brain.