"Healthy" Brownies

Ok, so they're not actually healthy....but they sure are good & fit a lot of the standards I've come to want with baked goods. I am a baking junkie and HATE that eating a giant brownie or cinnamon roll isn't good for you at all. Lately I've been on a no refined sugar kick. It's kind of depressing finding out that no matter what, whether refined or not, sugar is sugar & it's just not good for you! BUT, on occasion, when you're wanting something sweet, here is a grain free, vegan, no refined sugar brownie recipe just for you.

"Healthy" Brownies

1 1/2 Cups Almond Flour
1/4 Cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
5 pitted Medjool dates

1/2 Cup Spectrum Shortening (can sub coconut oil but will change the flavor of brownies)
4 one ounce squares unsweetened baking chocolate (I used Baker's)
1 Cup coconut sugar (I haven't tried honey yet...but I will soon!)
1 2.5 oz jar baby prunes
1 small zucchini peeled & grated
1 ener-g egg (prepared according to box)
1 TBS vanilla

Walnuts to top (if desired)

In food processor blend almond flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda. Add dates and process until completely blended into almond mixture.

On a double broiler, melt shortening and unsweetened baking chocolate. Remove bowl from heat and add coconut sugar, stirring well. Add baby prunes and mix completely. Add vanilla, egg replacer and combine. Fold in zucchini.

Pour the wet mixture into the food processor with the almond flour mix. Blend until completely smooth.
Pour into a greased and floured 8x8 dish. Bake at 325 degrees for about 30-35 minutes. (My oven is really annoying, old as the hills and really hot in certain spots, so I NEVER know how long a normal oven will take! Just watch them! They may need longer.) You'll know they're done when they sink in the middle a bit and the outsides get a little crisp/cracked looking.

Voila! Moist, chewy & delish!

Little Man

Nobody can get enough of this darling boy. I'm kind of in love. 

Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

I know I should be eating gluten free all the time, but I don't. It's just not as fun! It's a whole lot easier making just vegan items than it is gluten free and vegan...and since it's dairy that bothers me, Ruby & Quin and eggs that Quin can't have, vegan is just the way I go most of the time with baked goods. 

A couple days ago I made vegan cinnamon rolls and boy are they delicious! Of course, I DO miss the cream cheese frosting....but overall, they really hit the spot! I made these for my company and was told these were the best homemade cinnamon rolls she had ever had! I didn't mention they we're vegan :) 

DOUGH

1 Cup warm Rice Milk (110 degrees F)

2 Ener-G egg replacer eggs

1/3 cup Earth Balance soy free spread, melted

4 1/2 cups bread flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup white sugar

2 1/2 tsp bread machine yeast

FILLING

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 1/2 TBS cinnamon

1/3 cup Earth Balance soy free spread

3/4-1 cup walnut pieces (optional)

FROSTING

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar (more if needed)

1 TBS Earth Balance soy free spread, melted (or coconut oil)

2-3 TBS Rice milk or dairy free alternative (so delicious original coconut creamer works great!)

1 tsp vanilla

pinch of salt

1. Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select dough cycle; press start.

2. After the dough has doubled in size turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon.

3. Roll dough into a 16x21 inch rectangle. Spread dough with 1/3 cup earth balance soy free spread and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture and walnuts, if desired. Roll up dough and cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls in a lightly greased 19x13 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile,  preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

4. Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 12-15 minutes, turning halfway through baking. While rolls are baking, beat together powdered sugar, vanilla, melted earth balance spread, salt and milk alternative. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving. 

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Disney Days

Honestly, I absolutely love Disney Land. Ever since I was a kid it's been a magical place! We had passes this last year and they JUST expired. Sad day. The last couple of times we got to go were probably the best time we had the whole year! We will miss it greatly. 

 Highlight of our trip was Ruby getting to walk through Toon Town holding Mickey's hand! 

She's still talking about it....

 Tom Sawyer's island is the best! 

Gluten Free Vegan Waffles

I love waffles. I stopped making them for a long time because Quin can't eat regular anything and in the past a lot of my gluten free vegan attempts have been horrible! But I decided to try again because did I mention I love waffles?

First off you should have a good gluten free flour mix you like. I make my own out of Cybele Pascal's book "The Allergen Free Baker's Handbook."

Gluten Free Vegan Waffles

1 1/3 Cup Gluten Free Flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 Ener-g eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 small banana mashed (optional)
1 tsp vanilla
1-2 Tbs agave
1/2 to 3/4 c rice milk
Dairy free chocolate chips (optional)
Walnuts (optional)

Mix dry ingredients together in a small bowl. Mix all wet ingredients together in a medium bowl. Add dry to wet and mix until well combined. Make waffles in preheated waffle iron.

The Beard

When Adam found out I was pregnant, he stopped shaving. Seriously. Apparently he figured if he was extra super manly we would have a boy. Let me tell you, this was NOT something I even remotely enjoyed for one second. I was so grossed out by his beard that by the time I was packing my hospital bag I wanted to put the beard trimmers in there. For some reason he absolutely loved it and even after I had Dean he didn't want to shave, even though that was our deal! Finally after more than a week after baby boy made his arrival, he let it go. I hope he never does that again!!!!!!

Bringing Home The Baby

The hospital MADE me stay.....I begged every nurse I saw to let me go home and they would not! So while we were stuck at the hospital, my parent's watched Ruby & Quin. They of course had a FANTASTIC time with Grandma and Grandpa. I on the other hand was laying in an uncomfortable hospital bed sleeplessly for two days and a night. All I wanted to do was go home to my own bed and get to be with the girls. Adam and I basically just watched HGTV while I ate my fill of rabbit pellet ice chips. It was so ridiculously boring and tiring all at the same time. When they FINALLY released us, we drove through in 'n out and then headed home. We decided to leave the girls one more night with my mom and dad and then picked them up on Saturday. Ruby could not wait to meet Dean! It was the sweetest thing ever watching her finally see his face. She keeps repeatedly telling me "we didn't know what he was going to look like, but now we DO!! He's SOOOOO cute!!!" She is beyond excited to have a baby brother. I was quite worried about Quin since she's been the baby, but she LOVES him beyond and has done great with him. She loves holding him and isn't jealous at all which is amazing. I was also worried his crying would wake her up, but so far so good! He is two weeks old as of yesterday, and although it's not "easy" we are adjusting. The little munchkin is waking up every couple of hours at night, but he's the sweetest little guy. The girls and I just take turns holding him, staring at him and giving him kisses. Adam only took the two days we were at the hospital off work, so I've been getting used to the daily routine with three. It's such a priveledge to be a mom and get to raise these amazing, beautiful kids. I wouldn't trade it.

Here is Ruby holding Dean for the first time!