Gluten-Free Soft Pretzels

Posted on August 2, 2018 by Nicole

Don’t you just love getting a soft pretzel at a sporting event, concert, or venue? For some people it’s their go-to snack and something they look forward to on their way to the event. However, it’s a snack that people with food allergies have to stay away from. Not to fear! You can now make a soft pretzel that is gluten-free, and for me, used with different oil, since I can’t eat canola oil.

This recipe offers two different shapes you can make them in. You can shape the pretzels as a bunny or shape them in the regular pretzel shape. The tutorials on how to shape the pretzels are referenced below, in step number 4, through their website*. What’s amazing about making the pretzels yourself is that you could use your own creativity and form any shape you want. Surprise yourself and your friends and family with your pretzel making skills by making cool shapes, designs, and letters.

When making something yourself, you get to prepare it any way you want. If you don’t like a lot of salt on your pretzels, then you can put as little salt as you want and vice versa. There’s nothing worse than getting a soft pretzel that has way too much salt on it, so you don’t want to eat it or not enough salt where it is bland and flavorless. Follow the recipe below to make some Gluten-Free Soft Pretzels and prepare them to your liking.

serves: 6 Soft Pretzels

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 c. warm water
  • 2¼ tsp. dry active yeast
  • ½ tsp. coconut sugar (or use granulated sugar)
  • 1 Tbsp. pysllium husk powder + 3 Tbsp. warm water, sit for 1 minute to thicken
  • 3¼ c. Cara’s All-Purpose flour blend
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. sea salt
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp. maple syrup

Water bath:

  • 6-8 c. water
  • ¼ c. baking soda
  • 2 Tbsp. maple syrup

Lightly coat with:

  • olive oil
  • coarse salt

 

Source: http://bit.ly/1MITEMz

Source: http://bit.ly/1MITEMz

 

INSTRUCTIONS

  1.  Allow the yeast and sugar to froth in the warm water for 10 minutes.
  2.  Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together until well-combined. Take out about 1 c. of the flour and keep nearby in a measuring cup nearby. Add the yeast mix, oil, maple syrup, and thickened psyllium into the bowl with flour and stir until dough becomes scrappy. Start adding the other half of the flour, ¼ c. at a time until mixed in and a dough starts to form. Start kneading the dough with your hands for a couple of minutes in the bowl at this time to get it smooth. The dough should be moist but not sticky.
  3.  Divide the dough into six, even and smooth balls.
  4.  Roll each ball out with your hands on a lined flat surface until you have a long 14″ snake-like dough piece. For the bunny shape, cut off 2″ of the dough and set aside. For regular soft pretzel shapes, keep at 14″. Follow the tutorials in the post for how to shape your pretzels. For the bunny, take the remainder 2″ piece, roll it up and fill in the gap for the tail. (*Tutorials: http://bit.ly/1MITEMz*).
  5.  Place on a baking sheet, cover and allow to gently rise for 30 minutes in a non-drafty spot in your kitchen.
  6.  Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
  7.  Bring your water to a boil in a large pot. Add the baking soda (slowly, it will start to cause your water to rise) and maple syrup.
  8.  Gently place each pretzel in one-by-one with the guidance of a large spatula that will guide each one into the water. Allow to boil for 1 minute on each side, very gently turning over on the other side. Be careful, if done too quickly your pretzels can fall apart.
  9.  Place on a baking sheet (with your spatula), lightly coating the tops with olive oil and sprinkling with coarse sea salt immediately. Repeat for each one.
  10.  Bake for 22-25 minutes, turning the baking sheet around after the half-way point of cooking. Bake until a beautiful brown exterior forms. Allow to cool fully on the baking sheet before enjoying.

You can now make a soft pretzel that is gluten-free and great for anyone to enjoy. You get to have a little fun making them by choosing which shape you want to form the pretzels as and put on the right amount of salt. Make a batch of Gluten-Free Soft Pretzels to show your friends and family members all your talents of pretzel shaping.

Inspired by: http://bit.ly/1MITEMz

 

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Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Sundaes

Posted on July 31, 2018 by Nicole

Who doesn’t like a good pineapple upside-down cake? How about an ice cream sundae, or even better, a sundae with cake in it? A pineapple upside-down cake is a pound cake that has some of my favorite fruits on it, pineapples and cherries, mixed with butter and sugar on top of the cake. The fun thing about this cake is that when it is done baking, it is turned over and served upside-down. Add some ice cream with the cake and you have yourself one delicious dessert to enjoy. What’s a better dessert to have than some ice cream with cake and pineapples and cherries on top? If you love pineapple upside-down cakes and sundaes, then this is the perfect dessert for you.

Who doesn’t like to have to ice cream with their cake or even better, an ice cream cake? Ice cream and cake go really well together as the creamy and coldness of the ice cream cools down the soft and warmth of the cake. It’s a good dessert to end a great day with your family and friends. Follow the recipe below to make a delicious cup of a pineapple upside-down cake sundae.

Ingredients

Serves 4

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup chopped pineapple or canned pineapple tidbits (juice pack), drained
  • 1 pint dulce de leche or vanilla ice cream
  • 1/4 of a 10 3/4-ounce loaf frozen pound cake, thawed and coarsely crumbled and, if desired, toasted*
  • Whipped cream
  • 4 maraschino cherries with stems

 

Source: http://bit.ly/1kUpXJF

Direction

  1. In a small heavy skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar, honey and cinnamon. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Add pineapple. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes more or until heated through. Remove from heat.
  2. Scoop ice cream into four dishes. Top with crumbled cake, warm pineapple mixture, whipped cream and a cherry. Serve immediately.

Tip: * To toast pound cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread crumbled pound cake pieces on a 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes or until lightly toasted.

When you are craving ice cream and something sweet, why not make a pineapple upside-down cake sundae?  It serves four people, so it’s perfect to share with your group of friends or family of four. Enjoy a pineapple upside-down cake sundae when you are hanging out with friends or having fun with the family.

Inspired by: http://bit.ly/1kUpXJF

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Strawberry Milkshake Ice Cream Cake

Posted on July 19, 2018 by Nicole

Strawberry lovers, milkshake lovers, cake lovers, ice cream cake lovers, this dessert is perfect for those who love all those sweets combined together. Strawberry milkshakes are one of my favorite milkshakes. The creaminess of the ice cream mixed with the sweetness of strawberries just makes my mouth water. A fresh strawberry milkshake never lets me down.

Ice cream cake is one of the best food inventions, combing ice cream and cake together. The moistness and softness of the cake goes perfect with the cold and milky texture of the ice cream. It’s one of those dessert inventions like s’mores that makes you wonder how someone came up with that idea and decided to mix the food items together, but you don’t complain and just kind of go along with it and enjoy the deliciousness.

This strawberry milkshake cake has a delicious milkshake flavor mixed with a soft and sweet strawberry cake flavor. For those who love anything that has strawberry in it, this is a cake you wouldn’t want to miss out on. Follow the recipe below to make a Strawberry Milkshake Ice Cream Cake.

Ingredients: Serves: 12-16 servings

Ice Cream

  • 1 container (1.75 quarts) strawberry ice cream

Cake

  • 1 box (15.25 oz) white cake mix
  • 1 (3 oz) box strawberry jello
  • 1 (15-oz) container frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed and pureed
  • 4 eggs
  • ½ cup vegetable oil or 1 (4 oz) container apple sauce
  • ¼ cup water

Frosting

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • ½ cup powdered sugar

For topping

  • Fresh Strawberries
  • Extra sweetened whipped cream

Source: http://bit.ly/2CfRjub

Instructions

  • Line 2 9-inch cake pans with plastic wrap, allowing enough overhang to go over the sides of the pan. Remove the ice cream from the freezer and allow it to soften slightly. Spread the ice cream evenly in the prepared pans. Cover the top with plastic wrap and return to the freezer and freeze completely, at least 4 hours.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 2 9-inch cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper or waxed paper, then grease the paper.
  • In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cake mix and the jello powder. Add in the pureed strawberries, eggs, vegetable oil and water and mix until thoroughly combined. Divide the mixture evenly between the two prepared pans and bake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, then turn out of the pans onto a baking rack to cool completely.
  • When cool, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze while the ice cream freezes.
  • Place the whipping cream in a large bowl and whip until slightly thickened. Gradually add the powdered sugar and continue to whip until thick with stiff peaks.
  • To assemble the cake, unwrap the cake layers and with a serrated knife, cut each of the cakes in half to form 2 thinner layers. Place one layer on a cake stand or cake plate. Unwrap one of the ice cream layers and place on top of the cake layer. Repeat with another cake layer, the remaining ice cream layer, and one more cake layer. (Reserve the remaining cake for the outside of the cake.) Trim the ice cream if needed for the edges to be flush.
  • Frost the entire cake with the whipped cream. In a bowl, crumble the remaining cake layer and then press into the outsides of the cake. 
  • Freeze until ready to serve.
  • Right before serving, add additional whipped cream and fresh strawberries to the top.

Notes

*This cake recipe is quite moist, so freezing the layers makes it easier to cut the layers in half.

*Because the cake is moist, it doesn’t crumble like a drier cake would. I found that it was easiest to heat the cake for 10 seconds in the microwave so that it wasn’t frozen anymore, then I used 2 forks to tear the cake apart.

When you need a cake to make for a party or celebration for a strawberry lover, make a Strawberry Milkshake Ice Cream Cake. A cake that has the perfect amount of strawberry cake flavor blended with the perfect amount of strawberry milkshake flavor. You get cake and ice cream all in the same bite. Make a strawberry fan happy by making them a cake with their favorite fruit inside.

Inspired by: http://bit.ly/2CfRjub

 

 

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Watermelon Shaped Raspberry Lime Sherbet

Posted on July 17, 2018 by Nicole

A sherbet shaped like a watermelon? Yes please! Originally the word, sherbet, was referred to as a cold drink made with sweetened and diluted fruit juice. In the U.S., the word now most commonly refers to a frozen dessert made with milk (or cream) and flavored usually with fruit juice, with egg white or gelatin sometimes added. By federal regulation, in the US, sherbet must contain between exactly 1% and 2% butterfat.

It’s the fruiter version of ice cream that tastes delicious and is great to have on a summer’s day. You get the sweet, fruity flavors in each bite of your cold and creamy dessert. What’s great about sherbet is that you can shape it any way you want, such as a watermelon shape to create the illusion that you are eating a watermelon. Follow the recipe below to make Watermelon Shaped Raspberry Lime Sherbet.

Ingredients

  • 2 pints lime sherbet, slightly softened
  • 6 ounces miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2-gallon raspberry sherbet, slightly softened

Source: http://armagazine.com/2Guz45U

Directions

  1. Line a serving bowl with plastic wrap. Spoon lime sherbet into the bowl, smoothing it out to be 1/2-inch-thick along the sides, making the watermelon rind. Place bowl in the freezer for 15 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, stir the chocolate chips evenly into the raspberry sherbet. Scoop the raspberry sherbet into the lime sherbet shell, smoothing off and leveling the top. Return bowl to the freezer.
  3. To serve, invert the bowl onto a serving plate. Lift off bowl and remove plastic wrap. Freeze again for 1 hour if the sherbet is too soft. Slice pieces like a watermelon.

Editor’s Note:

The sherbet “watermelon” should slide easily out of the plastic wrap-lined bowl. But if help is needed, invert the bowl onto a serving plate, wet a cotton towel with hot water, wring out the water, and briefly wrap the towel over the bowl to take the chill off. Remove the towel, lift off the bowl, and peel off the plastic wrap.

When you want something fruity and cold, you can make some sherbet to satisfy your taste buds. It’s a great dessert to have during the summer, but you can also have it when you just want something cold, fruity, and sweet. Make some Watermelon Shaped Raspberry Lime Sherbet for the whole family, including your kids and your kids’ friends to enjoy.

Inspired by: http://armagazine.com/2Guz45U

 

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Banana Split Bites

Posted on July 12, 2018 by Nicole

Who doesn’t like a good banana split? A classic banana split has three scoops of ice cream (one each of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry) served between a split banana. The ice cream is usually served with pineapple sauce, chocolate sauce, and strawberry sauce drizzled onto the ice cream, then crushed nuts (generally peanuts or walnuts), whipped cream, and topped with a maraschino cherry. Who doesn’t want to end their day with a banana split?

This recipe for banana split bites doesn’t have ice cream, but it does have chocolate. Although, you could dip the fruit in some ice cream or have the banana split bites with a side of ice cream. A banana split bite has one strawberry slice, one banana slice, and one pineapple chunk with the bottoms of each fruit dipped in chocolate, nuts on the chocolate, if desired, and the fruit is placed on a skewer like a kabob. If you’re looking for a healthy snack, then this recipe is perfect for you because it has a mix of fruit with a decent amount of chocolate.

Bananas are good for supplying your body the right amount of potassium, fiber, and magnesium it needs. Just one banana contains 467 mg of potassium, which is important for controlling your heart rate and blood pressure.

Strawberries are an excellent source of vitamins C and K as well as providing a good dose of fiber, folic acid, manganese and potassium. They also contain significant amounts of phytonutrients and flavonoids which makes strawberries bright red.                                                      

Source: http://bit.ly/2ytPJBs

Pineapples are good for immune system support because they contain half of the daily-recommended value of vitamin C. Vitamin C is a primary water-soluble antioxidant that fights cell damage. This makes vitamin C a helpful fighter against problems such as heart disease and joint pain. Pineapples are also good for bone strength, eye healthy, and digestion.

Chocolate is good for lowering your cholesterol levels, preventing memory decline, and reducing the risk of cardiovascular problems.

Eating these three types of fruit with a little bit of chocolate can be beneficial towards your body in so many different ways. Why not eat them in a fun way like as banana split bites? Follow the recipe below to making a healthy snack of banana split bites that can be very helpful for your body and to keep it healthy and happy.

INGREDIENTS:

Serves 12; 3 pieces of fruit on 1 skewer, 12 skewers in total.

  • 3 Bananas
  • 1/4 lb Cored Pineapple
  • 6 Strawberries                                                 
  • 1 cup Dipping Chocolate                   
  • 1/4 cup Chopped Peanuts (optional)                                
  • 12 Popsicle Sticks (or skewers)

Source: http://bit.ly/1PCN4Yi

DIRECTIONS:

  • Cut strawberries in half.
  • For each strawberry half, cut an equal size piece of banana and pineapple.
  • Place pineapple on first, then banana and lastly strawberry.
  • Place in freezer for 10 minutes.     
  • Line a tray with wax paper or parchment paper.
  • Put chopped nuts in small plate to use for dipping.
  • Melt chocolate by heating in microwave for 30 seconds, stirring and repeating until melted and smooth.
  • Dip cold fruit in chocolate, then into nuts (if desired), then place on prepared tray. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to be served.

Make a healthy version of a banana split to have during parties or to feed to your kids for a fun and healthy snack. What child wouldn’t get excited for banana split bites? Just saying the words banana split will make someone smile. Get your kids excited by giving them banana split bites for a snack and they’ll love to eat fruit when it’s snack time.

Inspired by: http://bit.ly/1PCN4Yi

                                                     

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S’mores Banana Pudding with Alternatives

Posted on July 10, 2018 by Nicole

It’s summer time! The time of the year for s’mores, parties, and good times with family and friends. If you love s’mores and you love banana pudding, then this is the perfect recipe for you. This recipe is also good for anytime of the year when you want some s’mores mixed with some pudding. A mix of chocolate, banana pudding, graham crackers, and marshmallows all combined as one. It doesn’t get any better than that. It’s s’mores you can eat with a spoon!

This recipe is not allergy-friendly and is definitely one I can’t eat without substituting some ingredients, so I provided some alternatives so everyone can enjoy. I apologize if I missed some allergies, but please substitute any ingredients you can’t eat with ingredients you can. This is a dessert you wouldn’t want to miss out on. Follow the recipe below to make S’mores Banana Pudding, one that you can easily make allergy-friendly and fun for anyone to enjoy.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 1/3 c. whole milk or Lactaid/ dairy-free milk
  • 1 package instant chocolate pudding mix or allergy friendly pudding
  • 1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk or Lactaid/ dairy-free milk
  • 3 c. heavy cream or Lactaid/dairy-free heavy cream
  • 1 c. marshmallow fluff, microwaved for 10 seconds
  •  1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  •  3 c. crushed graham crackers, plus quartered graham crackers for garnish (Annie’s graham crackers or gluten-free graham crackers)
  • 4 bananas, sliced into coins
  •  3 Hershey’s chocolate bars, chopped or Enjoy Life Chocolate    

Source: http://bit.ly/2oAHxiY

DIRECTIONS

  1.  Make pudding: In a large mixing bowl, combine milk, pudding mix and sweetened condensed milk. Whisk thoroughly, breaking up any lumps, and refrigerate until set, about 5 minutes.
  2.  Make whipped cream: In another large bowl, combine heavy cream, marshmallow fluff and vanilla. Beat with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form.
  3. Cover the bottom of a three-quart trifle dish with a couple handfuls of crushed graham crackers. Top with one-third of the pudding, followed by a layer of banana slices. Add half of the whipped cream. Cover with marshmallows, chocolate bars and more graham crackers —you may want to also stand some graham crackers up vertically, so you see the full circle along the edge of the trifle dish.
  4.  Repeat layering process once more, ending with a final layer of whipped cream sprinkled with marshmallows, chocolate bars and graham crackers. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or up to overnight.

This recipe is a dessert that says it all in its name. S’more banana pudding; the fun of chocolate, marshmallows, graham crackers, and banana pudding put together. For your next party or gathering, make some of this pudding to share with others and it will be the biggest hit of the night.

Inspired by: http://bit.ly/2oAHxiY

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Dairy-Free Chocolate Pudding

Posted on June 21, 2018 by Nicole

Need a dessert that is light and creamy, yet dairy-free to satisfy your chocolate cravings? How about a cup of dairy-free chocolate pudding? A delicious milky dessert with the right amount of chocolate flavor. In the states, we love chocolate pudding and what’s glorious about chocolate pudding is that you can change it up by adding anything to it for a fun dessert. You can add cookie crumbs such as Oreos crumbs, a couple of marshmallows, a handful of candy, and even some fruit. If you don’t want just plain old chocolate pudding, add some of your favorite snacks to the mix to make a tasty dessert.

Did you know…

  • In the United States, pudding characteristically denotes a sweet milk-based dessert similar in consistency to egg-based custards, instant, or a mousse, though it may also refer to other types such as bread and rice pudding.
  • In the United Kingdom and some Commonwealth countries, pudding refers to rich, fairly homogeneous starch- or dairy-based desserts such as rice pudding and Christmas pudding, or, informally, any sweet dish after the main course.
  • The sweet and creamy confection we know as pudding emerged in the mid-19th century when an English chemist named Alfred Bird developed an egg-free custard powder. This remarkable invention made it very easy to produce a delicious pudding with the perfect consistency.
  • The word pudding is believed to come from the French boudin, originally from the Latin botellus, meaning “small sausage,” referring to encased meats used in Medieval European puddings.

Read More Here: https://mobile-cuisine.com/did-you-know/pudding-fun-facts/

If you’re looking for a dessert that is dairy-free, easy to make, and only involves a couple ingredients, then this pudding is the right recipe for you. Follow the recipe below to make a basic dairy-free chocolate pudding.

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch                                                
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons baking cocoa
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups chocolate soy milk (or any milk of your choice)  
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Source: http://bit.ly/2CZ4qyT

In a small heavy saucepan, mix cornstarch, sugar, cocoa and salt. Whisk in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to low; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Cool 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer to dessert dishes. Refrigerate, covered, 30 minutes or until cold.

Yield: 4 servings.

When you are craving some chocolate pudding, use this recipe to make some instead of running to the store late at night to go buy some. Besides waiting for it to refrigerate, it only takes a couple minutes to make and you only need 6 ingredients. It’s a quick and easy dessert to make that will get you excited after it has been refrigerated. Add a couple of your favorite snacks to the pudding and enjoy a bowlful of dairy-free chocolate pudding by using this recipe to make some.

Inspired by: http://bit.ly/2CZ4qyT

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Red Velvet Whoopie Cakes

Posted on June 12, 2018 by Nicole

Whoopie pies/cakes are a dessert I have enjoyed since I was a child. A soft cake texture mixed with cream in the middle. It’s similar to an Oreo, but the outside is made out of cake and is bigger than an Oreo. It’s one of the best desserts out there for a cake lover. I remember enjoying them while getting cake stuck to my fingers and having to lick it off my hands, which was the best part. I always enjoyed how soft it was and how you got some filling in each bite.

The whoopie pie is a Pennsylvania Dutch treat. It is a bit too big to be considered a cookie, but too small to be a cake, and definitely not a pie. The funny name is thought to have come from what Amish children would shout (whoopie!) after they found the treats in their lunch bags. While Pennsylvania claims the whoopie pie as its own, the state of Maine also alleges to be the birthplace of the popular treat. (It is the official state treat of Maine.)

Although, they aren’t usually the healthiest dessert and are packed with calories, this recipe is a healthier version because it uses ingredients like beets and low fat or fat free cream cheese and only has about 170 calories per cake (nutritional information listed below). Follow the recipe below to make a secretly healthy Red Velvet Whoopie Cake.

Serves: 12

INGREDIENTS

  • 1¼ cups whole wheat pastry flour
  • ¼ cup coconut sugar
  • 2 tablespoons natural cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • ¼ teaspoon Salt
  • 1 cup steamed and cooled beets (about 2-3 large beets), pureéd until smooth
  • ½ cup agave syrup
  • ⅓ cup coconut oil, melted at room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

For the Filling:

  • ⅔ cup low fat or fat free cream cheese
  • 1 tablespoon agave syrup
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1-2 stevia packets (about ½ – 1 tsp powdered stevia)

Source: http://bit.ly/2oWI27o

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a 12-muffin tin with liners.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a food processor, process the beet pureé, agave syrup, coconut oil, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Process until completely smooth.
  4. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined, be sure not to overmix.
  5. Equally distribute the batter between your prepared tins, and bake for 18 – 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely.
  6. For the filling, combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Use a hand mixer to fully combine and mix until smooth.
  7. Once cooled slice the cupcakes in half and add about 1 tablespoon of filling to the bottom half, smooth, then place the top half on and push down lightly.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serving size: 1 cake Calories: 171.7kcal Saturated fat: 5.4g Unsaturated fat: 0.7g Carbohydrates: 27.8g Sugar: 17.3g Fiber: 2.1g Protein: 3.9g

A whoopie cake is a sweet you can’t wait to get your hands on. You can eat it with your hands knowing that it will make a mess, but that’s what’s fun about it. The next time you have family or friends over, make them a batch of Red Velvet Whoopie Cakes to share and enjoy. It will be a dessert that everyone will love. They are even perfect for a bake sale or office party to share with everyone around you. When you are looking for a sweet to bake for others, make them some healthy Red Velvet Whoopie Cakes.

Inspired by: http://bit.ly/2oWI27o

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Strawberry Shortcake

Posted on June 5, 2018 by Nicole

Who doesn’t like a classic strawberry shortcake? This recipe is a healthier version of the cake that has the same tastiness of regular shortcake cake mixed with the sweetness of some fruit. It’s probably one of the healthiest cakes out there considering it still involves cake.  

Source: http://bit.ly/2xRGiwx

Strawberries have many benefits towards your health. They help with your eyes, boost your immunity, treat arthritis and gout, prevent cancer, boost brain function, reduce hypertension, improve heart function, promote weight loss, prevent birth defects, and reduce inflammations.

Read More Here: https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/fruit/strawberries.html

Strawberries can protect your body from a lot of bad sources. Why not throw some strawberries in with a delicious cake to protect your health? This recipe is one that cuts down the calories and is even healthier for your body. Follow the recipe below for a healthy version of a strawberry shortcake.

INGREDIENTS

Shortcake

  • 2 ½ cups white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour
  • 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 ¼ cups regular (full fat) coconut milk (from a well-shaken can at room temperature*), plus more for brushing on top
  • ¼ cup honey or maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (optional), for sprinkling on top

Coconut whipped cream (can be replaced with 2 cups regular whipped cream, if you prefer)

  • 1 can (14 ounces) regular (full fat) coconut milk or coconut cream, chilled for at least 12 hours
  • 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Strawberries

  • 2 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced lengthwise, divided (reserve a few small, whole strawberries for garnishing, if you’d like)
  • 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup

Source: http://bit.ly/2BJGp1T

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside. Place a medium-sized glass or metal mixing bowl in the freezer to chill for the whipped cream.
  2. To prepare the shortcake: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir to combine.
  3. In a 2-cup liquid measuring cup or smaller mixing bowl, combine the coconut milk, honey and vanilla. Whisk to blend, then pour the wet mixture in to the dry.
  4. Mix with a big spoon until you have a cohesive dough. If the dough is sticky and unmanageable, let it rest for a few minutes—if it’s still being difficult, add another tablespoon of flour and stir just until incorporated.
  5. Lightly flour your work surface, and turn the dough over onto it. Knead the dough a few times, just enough to bring the dough together. Then, press the dough into a square shape about 1″ deep.
  6. Use a sharp chef’s knife to slice the dough into 3 even columns and 3 even rows, to make 9 squares. Place the squares onto your prepared baking sheet, leaving a couple inches around each one. Brush the tops of the dough liberally with coconut milk, and sprinkle them with turbinado sugar, if using. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until they are firm to the touch.
  7. Meanwhile, prepare the coconut whipped cream: Open the can of chilled coconut milk or coconut cream, and scoop the solid white portion into your chilled bowl, leaving the watery part behind. With an electric hand mixer, beat until smooth and relatively fluffy. Add the honey and vanilla extract and blend to combine. Refrigerate until you’re ready to serve.
  8. To prepare the strawberries: Place half of the sliced strawberries in a medium mixing bowl and mash them with a potato masher (or pastry cutter or big fork) until juicy. Add the remaining sliced strawberries and honey and stir to combine. Set aside until ready to serve.
  9. When you’re ready to serve, carefully slice the shortcakes in half lengthwise with a paring knife. Top the lower half of each shortcake liberally with sliced strawberries, followed by whipped cream. Top with the upper halve of the shortcake. If you want to make them extra decadent, add one more dollop of whipped cream and maybe a small strawberry on top. Serve immediately.

When you are looking for a strawberry shortcake recipe to make, try this one. It’s good for the whole family and a good way to end your night. Even though, a traditional strawberry shortcake is vanilla flavored, you could add some cocoa powder to make a rich and chocolatey strawberry shortcake for those chocolate lovers and chocolate covered strawberry fans. It will be a sweet way to end the day. Make a healthy strawberry shortcake to satisfy your cravings.

Inspired by: http://bit.ly/2BJGp1T

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A Healthy Treat: Memorial Day Snack

Posted on May 23, 2018 by Nicole

I thought to myself, “what’s the healthiest dessert and snack one could eat?” The first thing that came to mind was fruit. Fruit has limited calories and many nutrients and benefits to protect the body. Mixing many different fruits together gives you a healthy snack that does nothing but good towards your body. Have a side of yogurt with the fruit, and you have yourself the perfect snack to eat and share with others.

How many of you grab something unhealthy like a bag of chips or a couple of cookies for a snack when you’re hungry? I do; I fall for the trap. When you make yourself a bowl of fruit salad and put in the fridge, front and center, you’ll be tempted to grab the fruit when you open the fridge looking for something to eat. One of the best ways to eat healthy is to put something healthy in front of you, so when you go to grab food, you’ll see the fruit and grab that instead of a cookie or sweet.

If you put some fruit and a cookie in front of a child and tell them to pick one, a child will mostly likely pick the cookie. If you leave chips or cookies sitting out in plain sight, you’ll be tempted to grab it even when you’re not hungry. If you only have fruit and healthy snacks in front of you, then you’ll have no other option but to grab the fruit. Trick yourself into eating healthy by only leaving out healthy foods. For those who hate cutting fruit, you can buy some pre-cut fruit at your local grocery, which may be a little more expensive, but makes your life a whole lot easier.

What’s wonderful about fruit and yogurt is that you can have it anytime of the day. You can have some for breakfast, have it as a snack, or even have some for dessert. The next time you’re hungry, have a healthy bowlful of fruit with a side of yogurt for breakfast, a snack, or dessert plus, when you open the fridge, the first item you’ll see is a fruit salad looking right at you.  

Source: http://bit.ly/2BHWh59

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 cups fresh pineapple chunks
  • 1 qt. strawberries, hulled and sliced in half
  • 3 cups seedless green grapes
  • 2 mangoes, peeled and sliced
  • 2 (4-oz.) containers fresh raspberries
  • 2 cups Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon honey

INSTRUCTIONS

Toss together first 5 ingredients in a large serving bowl. Spoon yogurt into a separate serving bowl; sprinkle yogurt with sugar, and drizzle with honey. Serve fruit with yogurt mixture.

Keep your body healthy by giving it a cupful of fruit with a side of yogurt. A fruit salad is even the perfect snack to bring to parties with you to get everyone else to eat healthy as well. You’re helping the people around them by giving them a healthy snack instead of some fattening chips and sweets. It only takes a couple minutes to throw some fruit together and scoop out a little bit of yogurt. Instead of taking the time to prepare an unhealthy dessert, such as a batch of cookies, save yourself some time by making a fruit salad with a side of yogurt.

Inspired by: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/fruit-salad-with-yogurt

                                

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