Wholesome and Decadent Chocolate Chip Cookies-Guest Post at Golden Barrel

I know.

Those cookies.

You can hardly even read this right now, can you? All you can think about is how to make these cookies enter your life. And do not fret-we'll get to that! First, I have to share some news with you!

I'm going to, on an occasional basis, be sharing recipes over on Golden Barrel's blog (Golden Barrel is a company, based out of Lancaster, PA, that creates baking products such as mixes, molasses, coconut oil, sugars, etc.--I talked a bit about them when I posted these delicious cookies back in January.)

These cookies are the first of those recipes!

Golden Barrel makes such an amazing variety of products that I knew I wanted to use a few of them in a recipe: so I used their raw sugar and molasses (to form a sort of extra delicious, un-refined, dark brown sugar) as well as their coconut oil (which completely replaces the butter, making these cookies dairy free and a bit healthier!) And these cookies could not have turned out better!

Even though they're made with coconut oil instead of butter-you do NOT taste the coconut at all and the texture is still so perfectly gooey and chewy and wonderful! The flavor is insane-they taste super high quality and they're the tastiest cookies I've made in a long time. Seriously...I could gush about how tasty they are for a LONG time, but why don't you just go check out the post and read about it there? And, while you're at it, get the recipe so you can make them for yourselves and see HOW GOOD they are!

Sour Cream, Spinach, and Onion Dip (Lightened Up)

So...um...I guess it's football season?

I dunno, my brother and facebook feed seem pretty stoked.

I don't make a secret about the fact that I am not the kind of girl who likes or cares about sports (some people may say I cram the fact down their throats...I say that people who like sports try to cram it down mine so only fair). Here's the deal: where I come from...sports, especially football, is like...a huge deal. First of all the Midwest in general is super into the sport. Then, also, everyone knows how Ohio-ans are about Ohio State. Oh and Catholics love Notre Dame (my grandma, for instance). Oh and Canton (the city right next door to my hometown, where I went to high school) has the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Oh yeah and Massillon (where I'm from) has the longest running high school football rivalry (Massillon vs. McKinley)-is generally all about football (Paul Brown, of the Browns-as well as many other football players-went to Massillon's high school). They're so football crazy that every little boy born in Massillon hospital is given a football at birth. And here I am, this un-coordinated, uber-girly, just...not sporty girl. And people tried SO HARD to make me like sports, especially football, that all it did was make me like it less.

So there you have it, a reason for my insanity.

Now, all my personal dislikes aside, I completely support people's desire to be into sports.

And even more so...I completely support the consumption of copious amounts of delicious foods at the parties, games, tailgates, etc etc. that go along with the sporty tradition. So, in honor of all of you-sports lovers and haters alike-let's eat some dip!

I don't know if any of you care but...ya know...if you wanna avoid a football season gut...or I dunno maybe delay it or minimize it (?)-this dip has a little bit of a secret weapon: it's been lightened up.
There's still sour cream, for taste. But it's also made with Greek yogurt (I used 2%) AND-in addition to, obviously, onions-spinach. You can't really taste the spinach, and I am by no means saying it makes this dip a health food but it's still spinach and it still gives you a bit of nutritional value. So, yay. :P

Funny story about this dip: I didn't love it at first. I thought it's onion flavor wasn't...well...onion-y enough.

Michael wasn't a big fan either, he thought there was too much onion (he didn't like biting into onion pieces). 

So I speculated on ways to potentially solve this problem: obviously chopping the onions as small as possible buuut...I'd already tried my best with that (secret shame: I'm awful at chopping). I thought maybe I could puree the cooked onions? (I'm still curious about the idea). 

Regardless, there we were, with a TON of dip, staring at it and trying to figure out how we'd finish it.

But then...something magical happened. I don't know if the extra time in the refrigerator made the flavor get more integrated over time or if it just grew on me but, um, I got addicted. Like...couldn't stop eating it. All the fears were for naught, I finished that bad boy in a few days. 

No shame.

If you like sour cream and onion stuff you'll like this (even if it means you don't eat it until after it's sat in the fridge for a day or two :P) Trust me. Would I steer you wrong? That's right.

Healthy Oatmeal Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

 I don't know about you guys but after yesterday I feel...

well...fat.

I ate a bunch.

So I figure, let's share a healthier recipe today, shall we?

I mean...they're still cookies. 

It's not like I'm all like "Oh hey guys here's a recipe for roasted squash and kale and stuff"

Baby steps, you guys, baby steps. 

(Um...I really wish that I wanted to eat stuff like that though. Why can't I feel about veggies the way I do about cookieeees?!)

These cookies are like super simple to put together.

And they taste pretty darn delish.

Chewy, nutty, chocolatey, tastiness.

Cinnamon Sugar Stuffed Scones-Guest Post at Pies and Plots

Now that we've come out the other side of this hurricane, let's reflect on what matters.

Food 

Friends

In my short time here in bloggy-land, I have made a lot of wonderful, wonderful friends. Some of whom you already know, and some you don't! Today I'm going to introduce (or re-introduce) Laura from Pies and Plots to you! Well...more like she's introducing me to her readers, since I'm guest posting over there today. 

But I digress.

Here's what makes Laura awesome: she's a writer, she's my age(ish), she's super supportive (hello, she favorites like every new post tweet of mine! how nice!), she's sweet, fun, and that girl can BAKE! She shares some of the most creative baked goods I've ever seen, and I love each and everyone post. Laura has a few dietary restrictions...SHE'S ALLERGIC TO CHOCOLATE AND CHEESE!! I know *sob* the poor girl! How does she live??! I'm kidding, I'm kidding...mostly. But she obviously manages just fine without these things. But as I'm sure none of you are surprised by...I had a hard time finding a non-chocolatey recipe to share on her site today.

It was a challenge I met! And I got to include another bloggy friend in the process (I adapted the recipe from Kristina of Whipped Baking...I'm sure you remember her. She's hopped on over here to see you guys a couple times before. :P) Anyway, these scones: they're chewy and delicious. They're glazed. They're stuffed full of CINNAMON SUGAR GOODNESS! It is one of the best ways you could possibly start your day, and if you want to see the recipe, just head on over to Pies and Plots!

You should also follow Laura!

Twitter                           Facebook                  Pinterest

Whole Wheat Double Corn Cornbread

So...it's like...cold here now. It actually feels like fall (blech).
We're using the comforter. I have a blanket on at all times. I even wore a *shudder* hoodie!

Do you know what I like to do when it's cold?
Eat comfort food.
"but Kayle you eat comfort food all the time-" Shush!

Cornbread. It's hearty and thick and is served with warm food that helps you chase away the chill.

I don't know about you but, I'd like to have my comfort food and eat it too-without gaining, like, hibernation weight. Because...I didn't really lose anything over the summer so...we just can't have me getting bigger.

 So, when I tackled making this cornbread, I decided to tweak it a smidge. Add more corn to up the veggie level. Sub out some of the AP flour for whole wheat. (I totally messed around with the flour to make it whole wheat-and so can you! You can try to make it all with whole wheat flour, use some white whole wheat flour for part/all of it, go crazy! Go nuts! Experiment!) You can even use coconut oil, if you want, or canola oil, or whatever your favorite healthier oil is. Honestly, there's not much that's bad for you here. It's a pretty satisfying and low guilt dish. And Michael liked it, and so did my cousin Amy (who was visiting after I'd made this and had a little leftover), and of course I did-so really, anyone should :)

Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

So, you know, sometimes I try to be healthy.

Sometimes.

Not like in a, "Oh yes let's eat a bunch of vegetables* for lunch." kind of way, but in more of a "well...these cookies aren't quite...unhealthy."

Obviously.

These are one of the first recipes I'd bookmarked, back when I was stalking sites like "Eating Well" and before I'd discovered what a food blog was. I gotta say, though, this cookies hold up! I tweaked them a smidge according to some comments I read and my own personal tastes and needs, so feel free to play around with it some yourself, too. These cookies really are quite delicious and comforting-they don't taste much different than any other oatmeal chocolate chip cookie. They're just a little better for you :) 

My kind of healthy.

*(As I type this, I have just come back from a 9 hour Green Giant promotion, telling kids to eat more vegetables. The irony is not lost on me. Also-I'm sleepy. I worked a lot these past couple days. Zzzzz)

Brown Butter Macaroni and Cheese

Ok. I know. I'm obsessed.

You've seen so many recipes with browned butter from me. But what can I say? It makes everything tastes so amazing! Extra buttery and just so...just...you know? Adding the wonderousness that is browned butter can only elevate everything to the next level-and that is exactly what has happened with this macaroni and cheese.

You brown the butter. You add flour and milk and cheeses to form a delicious roux (I think that's the word? Cheese sauce. It's essentially cheese sauce). You add it to your macaroni (or other noodles, whatever. I particularly like to use extra healthy noodles here, since the flavor of the sauce is so strong it helps mask anything I would maybe not love in the pasta if it were plain). Put some buttery cracker goodness on there. Bake/broil it up a bit and KAZAAM*! Delicious mac'n'cheese! I kinda wanna make some now. Food blogging makes you hungry-fact.

*Do you guys remember Kazaam? It had Shaq as a genie who like...rapped and acted ridiculous? Anyone? Did you love it even though you knew it was absolutely a train wreck? ME TOO! I'm pretty sure the only reason I ever knew anything about basketball was thanks to Kazaam and Space Jam. I was all "Oh yeah, I know who Shaquille O'Neal and Michael Jordan are. No big." But I digress. (You guys...I still have that movie! I know! Let's watch it! Buahahaaaa!)

Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake + CHOBANI Review

I don't like coffee.

But, like, everyone else does. And when 20-somethings get together, it is often for "coffee". Many times this coffee takes place at a Starbucks. And, so as not to appear rude, I have managed to find a few things there that I frequently order and like...of course they're not a beverage. My most favorite thing to get there is their coffee cake. I loooove it. It's cinnamon-y and brown sugar-y and cake-y but with a delicious crunch from the streusel. *sigh*. This is why, when I saw a recipe on The Baker Chick for a coffee cake that was hailed as BETTER than Starbucks', I immediately bookmarked it. I am so so SO happy I did. It IS even better. The cake is so moist, so fluffy and it is completely bursting with cinnamon goodness. I oftentimes find the cake to streusel/filling ratio lacking, but not here. This cake is heaven. AND you can make it the night before and bake it in the morning, which is so amazing because as ambitious as my morning plans are when I go to bed, that is how sleepy and lazy I feel when I awake. With this all I needed to do was take it out of the refrigerator and put it in the oven, and then sit on the couch, enjoying the heavenly smells wafting through the apartment. Ah yes, this is a coffee cake of wonders.

Whole Wheat Greek Yogurt Pancakes

Happy Labor Day-bor!

Ohhhh it's time for another breakfast recipe on this loovely Monday morning! (imagine that I sang that to you, because I did.I wanted you to know that. And hear it....I'll wait.....)

...You done? My voice is pretty, huh? Thanks :) Anyway! Pancakes! YOU GUYS! I made pretty(ish) pancakes! This never happens! The only pancakes I've ever made that looked nice were those healthy ones! That is also why those are the only ones I've ever shared on here. Also, when it comes down to it, given the choice between waffles and pancakes, Michael and I both usually prefer waffles. But..sometimes..I don't want to mess with the waffle-maker. Sometimes all I want is a stack of fluffy pancakes.

There are a couple things that make these pancakes special.

They're not super unhealthy and fattening! These are made with whole wheat and Greek yogurt (which I will talk about more on Wednesday), and absolutely no oil or any other sort of fat. So-yay!

The Greek yogurt in these (which I subbed in for the originally called for sour cream) makes these pancakes super moist and rich. It's quite lovely.

And, I also discovered I like using mini chocolate chips in pancakes. They're cute. Plus, they seem to work better. Obviously, you do not need to use chocolate chips. I am just crazy and need to eat pancakes/waffles with chocolate chips and peanut butter spread on top. It's dark chocolate and natural peanut butter though, so, still healthy!

Frozen Strawberry Yogurt Pie

NOOOO! Summer is almost over! (There's only a month left!) I hate fall! Nonononononooooooo! I want sun and blue skies! And warmth! And sundresses and shorts! And flowers and green trees and just happy summertime! I dread the leaves and everything dying and the gray skies and colors shifting from blues and yellows and pinks to oranges and browns. I abhor the idea of wearing a jacket and boots instead of a tank top and flip flops. I am not looking forward to September, nononooo.

To try to hold on to summer a little longer, I'll share a super summery dessert recipe that I recently made for my Michael.

Like me, he hates fall. Loves summer. Especially summery desserts. Michael loves anything "refreshing" and is obsessed with berries-especially strawberries. A couple weeks ago I decided to make myself a s'mores treat (that I'll share later), and Michael is not a s'mores fan. So, I knew I'd have to make him his own special dessert. I also had some extra Greek yogurt lying around that I needed to use up. When I saw this recipe I knew it was sure to be a winner-and I was right! Michael says this may be the best thing I've ever made him. He says, "It's like a cheesecake...but frozen...and more refreshing. So pretty much-perfect." It's everything he loves and wants and needs in a dessert. I've scored major girlfriend points. :D.

Whole Wheat Biscuits

My biscuit recipe collection is nearing rivalry of my chicken collection.*

(Not really, it's not even close)

There's just nothing like waking up in the morning and biting into a warm, delicious biscuit with butter...Mmm. But you know, sometimes...I worry about my waist-line. So I hunted down a whole wheat biscuit recipe-made entirely with whole wheat flour. The biscuits are great. They're hearty, but delicate, and are amazing with jam, honey, and, of course, butter. They'd even be great to dip into a soup or stew. They're pretty quick and simple to make, and you can go about your day knowing you started it right!

Brown Bag Microwave Popcorn

Popcorn and I have had a very intense relationship over the years-we've had a lot of ups and downs.

For some reason, up until the 2nd grade-I thought I didn't like popcorn. Then, when I tried some, I realized I LOVED popcorn! I began to eat it a lot-a movie theaters, but especially microwave popcorn at my house. Eventually I was up to eating 1 bag of microwave popcorn PER DAY! I was very picky about what kind as well. Act II Butter Lover's Popcorn was the only popcorn for me. In high school, when I was worrying about my weight a bit more, I cut back to only a few bags of popcorn a week. This kept up through my first year of college. Then, in the midst of my 2nd year...something happened. I sort of started to get over it. I began to eat popcorn less and less. I realized movie theater popcorn made me sick, and I was sort of microwave-popcorn'd out. So, me and popcorn took a break. 

While I was shooting in Maine and discovered Michele's popcorn, my love was reawakened, but in a new form, now I'm more into the occasional sweet popcorn (such as caramel corn). 

Recently, I learned that microwave popcorn bags are lined with all kinds of stuff that is bad for you (yeesh I wish I'd known that as a kid). I don't have an air popper. Using oil/skillet/etc. seems messy and complicated.  So I was VERY excited when I learned there's a safe, easy, fat-free way to make popcorn in my own microwave! It's so seriously simple: Take a brown paper bag, put the kernels in (you don't even need oil!), tape it shut, microwave and VOILA! YOU HAVE POPCORN!!

So cool. Just....so cool. 

Crisp and Fluffy Whole Wheat Waffles

WAFFLES!

WAFFLES!

WAAAAFFLES!

OK, I don't know who amongst you remembers All Dogs Go to Heaven--but there's this one scene where the little girl eats a bunch of waffles. And they look like the best waffles you've ever seen. 

These waffles blow those waffles out of the water. 

I'm for serious.

These waffles are not only pretty healthy (whole wheat flour and canola or coconut oil!)-but they are the best waffles I've ever had! The outsides are perfectly crisp and inside they are fluffy and wonderful. And, I threw some chocolate chips in mine because that's how I roll (Michael's were plain-he eats waffles like a normal person with butter and syrup. I eat mine with peanut butter on top).

Red White and Blue-Berry Shortcake Cupcakes-Guest Post with Kristina of Whipped

OK, so I have one more amazing guest post for you before I'm back! This is just as exciting as the last one. Kristina from Whipped is here to share a great 4th of July themed recipe for you! I have to tell you, Kristina is not only an amazing blogger with gorgeous photos, a fun and friendly voice, and scrumptious (plus healthy?!) recipes, but she has also become my BFF--best foodie friend. She's moving to NYC this September for culinary school and I CANNOT wait! Michael is worried I may leave him to spend all my time with her. But then again, he wants her to be at the apartment all the time so she and I can both feed him goodies. Spoiled boy :P Anyway! These cupcakes/shortcakes look so perfect for summer (you can even wear a bikini after eating one, I say it's ok!) and Michael positively drooled over these when he saw the photos! (They're refreshing and have berries so he's obviously ALL OVER THIS!) Now, read the rest of this post, enjoy the wonderousness that is Kristina, then go check out her blog and read every morsel of awesomeness on there! And while you're at it, you should really keep up to date with her through the twitter, that facebook, and of course pinterest!  And I will be back in full force next week! Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Healthy Fettuccine Alfredo

Remember how I'm like a dumb little kid and I need to be tricked into eating vegetables?

This is one such recipe.

You take zucchini and use them to take the place of some of the fettuccine noodles, and then smother them in the super flavorful (but not super fatty!) sauce. And it's amazing. I love this entire concept so much I've even used zucchini noodles in other kinds of pasta (but not oil pasta, because olive oil alone isn't enough of a mask for the icky green stuff for the 6 year old that is myself). It's so great because this recipe takes a dish that is so fatty and calorie-laden that many of us feel like we just can't eat it-but it gives us a delicious alternative that I, personally, think is just as good. What makes me so sad, though, is the fact that this is one of the first recipes I ever bookmarked. And it took me like 2 years to make it. I could've been eating this for 2 years and I wasn't! It's a travesty! An outrage! An abomination! YOU MUST LEARN FROM MY MISTAKES AND MAKE SOME OF THIS ASAP! I mean it! Also-you definitely might want to double (or triple) the amount, depending on how many people you're serving and if you want leftovers. Because when it says serves 2-it means serves 2. A little friendly advice. But anyway, what are you doing hanging around here reading the silliness that comes out of my fingers on this keyboard onto this blog? YOU SHOULD BE MAKING SOME OF THIS FETTUCCINE ALFREDO!

GO ON!

:)

Healthy Fettuccine Alfredo

From Eating Well "Fettuccine Alfredo"

Serves 2

(can easily double this recipe if you want leftovers)

Dark Chocolate Bread Pudding (Lightened Up)

Bread pudding. Such a weird thing. It makes you all confused, and for some reason conjures up images of 19th century England (...or...maybe that's just me. Anyway...). And it's like....is it pudding? Is it bread? WHAT IS IT??!

Turns out, it's basically bread that's been soaked in stuff and ends up being, kind of, pudding. 

Mind you, I've still never had the original bread pudding.

But chocolate bread pudding, oh it makes my heart sing!

Cook Yourself Thin Chicken Tenders

You know what's hilarious?

When I speak to people I know in real life, and this blog is brought up, they always say, 

"You post the most delicious things! Poor thing, it must be so hard not to eat them."

To which I respond, "Uh....I eat pretty much everything I put on the blog. If it's a dessert I probably eat almost all of it."

Then they look at me in confusion.

(HEALTHY) Chocolate Chip Cookie Pancakes

Sometimes I make pancakes.

Not often.

I'm concerned they're not super healthy for breakfast.

I've never shared any recipes with you because....

my pancakes always turn out ugly.

Apparently I am unable to cook pancakes and have them look pretty.

Or at least-I was!

Whole Wheat Rolls-2 Ways (Regular, and Garlic Knot)

You know what's funny? 

I used to be terrified, overwhelmingly nervous, at the thought of using yeast.

I'd never had any interactions with yeast, and from what I could tell-it seemed rather temperamental. 

But now?

I use it, like, at least once a week (usually to make pizza dough-which will be shared with you eventually).

These rolls were not my first venture into yeast. I had already made other rolls and pizza dough by this point. But, they were my first time using whole wheat flour in a baked good. It was a garlic knots recipe, using whole wheat flour, that seemed pretty healthy and straightforward. So, I made them. And then promptly remembered I'm not particularly in love with garlic knots. But the basis of the knots themselves...was really delicious, super fluffy yet hearty. Michael tried them, he had the same feeling about the garlic knots, but he said, "You know what? These would be really good as just rolls. Like....really good." I responded, "I know, right!!" I was so happy he felt the same way I did. Not too long after this, I made the recipe again. But, I tweaked it to form rolls (instead of knots) and without putting the garlic butter on at the end. Included in this post I have both ways, so you can choose whether you want whole wheat rolls or whole wheat garlic knots. Go crazy! And, feel a little less guilty about it. 

Homemade, Baked Tater Tots!

Tater Tots.

Or, as the kids say, "tots".

Who doesn't love these little crunchy balls of potato? They give you instant nostalgia, and, I mean, they're gosh darn tasty to boot! But the frozen kind we all buy? What kind of stuff is in there? I don't even want to know. I especially don't want to think about putting all that crap into a poor, impressionable, little future child-thing of mine (although I'm sure at some point, I will, and I was fed almost exclusively processed food as a child...and I'm OK so far. But still...why take chances?). And-they're fried. Something I generally shy away from these days. One day, I was thinking about tater tots. I don't know why. Sometimes food just pops into my head. Anywho, I was thinking, and wondering...could I make baked tater tots? There has to be a recipe for this, right? 

 RIGHT! :)

I was so super excited when I found this recipe, and pretty much made them right away. They are awesome! Much healthier than your normal tater tots, but still crunchy, and potato-y, and so so satisfying to the little kid in all of us. And-a plus-it makes a bunch! Michael and I had tots leftover for days! And they are just as good-just pop them under the broiler until they crisp up! Only downside? Prepare to spend some time making these, it's a surprisingly lengthy process (at least, for me it was). Totally worth it, though. 

Baked Tater Tots

From Pennies On A Platter "Oven Baked Tater Tots"