Pass MORE of the pumpkin please!

    This recipe I confess is apparently a repeat...I just searched my archive and saw it way back at the beginning. However, it is so very good that it is definitely deserving of another print, especially as it is so very fitting to the season. Without any further adieu, my most favorite and might I add ever popular pumpkin pie recipe. It is crustless (save on the carbs, heaven knows we all need that over the holidays!) and even the most determined self proclaimed pumpkin pie haters have been converted to the way of the crustless pumpkin pie...

     Mom’s Famous Crustless Pumpkin Pie


1 1/2 c. sugar
4 eggs
4 Tbsp butter softened
2 13 oz. can evaporated milk
1 tsp salt
1 c. Bisquick Baking Mix
2 15 oz. cans Pumpkin (or the equivalent of 4 c. fresh or 1 large 29 oz can )
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
4 tsp. vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 350^, spray 4  9” pie plates evenly with a light coat of cooking spray. Beat all ingredients in a large bowl till smooth. Once pie plates are evenly filled, bake until golden brown and an inserted knife comes out clean, about 50 min - 1hr depending on your oven. Let set for 10 min or so. Serve with homemade whip cream or vanilla ice cream. 


P.S. This recipe can easily be cut in half for only 2 pies. We go through ‘em like crazy though, so I always make up the whole batch. Also makes a GREAT quick breakfast. You do the math, the ingredients are no more “sugary” etc than breakfast cereal, and kids LOVE it! Serve with milk instead of ice cream and your kids just may sing to you the favorite...Bill Cosby style... morning music of    “Mom is great, gives us...Pumpkin Pie!"

Another Glorious Avocado Recipe

     And it is paired again with chocolate too! One can NEVER loose there... This is also a recipe I had found some time ago while researching for that healthy baking class I held. The cupcakes are absolutely delish believe it or not. Quite moist and light even (but rich if that isn't too much of a contradiction) ANYWAY... enjoy! Also, check out Jessica Seinfeld's Book, Decepetively Delicious (Deceptively Delicious on Amazon) for another fun version of Chocolate Avocado Cupcakes. This is the one I just love to use and re-use though!

Glazed Chocolate-Avocado Cupcakes

(from the Sept. 08 Vegetarian Times)

Cupcake;

1 ½ c. white wheat flour

¾ c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. Baking Pwdr.

¾ tsp. Baking soda

¾ tsp. salt

1 avocado pitted and peeled

1 c. pure maple syrup

¾ c. plain soymilk

1/3 c. canola oil

2 tsp. vanilla

Glaze;

¼ block soft silken tofu (from 14oz container) drained and patted dry

3 Tbs. pure maple syrup

½ tsp. vanilla

1/8 tsp. salt

4 oz. semisweet chocolate melted

Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking pwdr., baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Puree avocado in food processor until smooth. Add maple syrup, soymilk, oil, and vanilla, blend until creamy. Whisk avocado mixture into flour mixture. Spoon into prepared cupcake pan (w/liners works better) and bake ≈20 min. until toothpick comes out w/few crumbs. To make the Glaze, blend tofu, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt in food processor until smooth. Add chocolate to tofu mixture. Transfer to a bowl and dip cupcake tops after cooling.

AVOCADOS

     And what is not to love about them? If you are not one of those green California mild fruit lovers, then I am determined to find atleast 1 recipe that would appeal to you. After all, according to http://www.allaboutavocados.com/ they are not only loaded with nutrients such as dietary fiber, vitamin B6, vitamin C, magnesium, and folate, they even contain 60% more potassium per ounce than bananas and are high in rich oil content, namely vitamin E. One last important note, if you are on the mediterranean diet... otherwise known as flat belly diet...avocados are a practically a must!
     I found this recipe quite some time ago when I held a healthy baking class for some friends, and quite like it as a fun treat for my kids once in a while. I  much prefer it as a fruit dip though, so get your fresh cut fruit ready, and serve at any get together and I think you will be quite pleasently surprised!




     Chocolate Avocado Pudding

(from http://rawfoodrightnow.blogspot.com)


2 avocados
½ cup raw carob powder (or raw cocoa or raw chocolate powder)
1 cup dates (Medjools ideally)


Blend all ingredients until mixture is smooth and creamy and no lumps. Taste first, Add more avocado if you’d like it richer and/or creamier; add more dates for extra sweetness or add more carob for a stronger chocolate flavor.


Check out http://www.recipezaar.com/Avocado-Pudding-164833 for an addt’l pudding recipe variation

Beanie Brownies

     Hey all! I have a confession. Too often my food choices (or lack there of) parallel my life. Thus the break for too many extra days. What can you do though?! I had much on the plate with the kiddos, and an almost complete fall out of our offer on the house. Long story really. Plus I am not one of those that have really been able to configure regular let alone daily entries into the racket of my life. Perhaps I will be able to work it when I have a back yard to throw kids in. Then again, I will have just had #4 for, so maybe not. Either way, this is one of my ultimate favorite uses of beans. This is basically like one of the recipes that Weight Watchers recommends. So easy, and  GREAT way to cut calories, increase fiber etc.


  
     Beanie Brownies
     
     1 box Brownie Mix (for the 9 x13 inch pans)
     1 14 - 15 oz can Black Beans


Open the can of beans, drain them (and rinse if you can) Return beans to can, cover to top with water and then place in a blender (like Gary!) and puree all the heck out of 'em. Mix puree with brownie mix and place in a lightly sprayed baking dish. The baking time and temp are pretty much the same. 
Viole! Brownies with only about 2.5 grams of fat, 130 calories, and even 1 gram of fiber!





Tip 8 billion 27 thousand 3 hundred and 2;
Replace just 3 meals a week with beans or other high protein no meat dishes and save about $25 a week! (according to MSN's 20 Basic Ways to Save on a Shoestring) 


P.S. That's $1200 a year!!!

In Light of Last Monday's Sweet "Agave" Article

     So I didn't get enough new info on agave posted for you, here are a couple really quick tid-bits (before todays fabulous fresh ingredient!)    First off, here is a quick link for substituting agave in recipes  Agave Substitution, great info for any of you who want to experiment on adding agave to your baking recipes instead of any other sweetener. And here is a GREAT reason or two that you might want to substitute Agave a little more in your cooking, a little phrase called "Glycemic Index". Basically Glycemic Index has to do with how your body is affected by the food we eat in terms of blood sugar. Anything with a high glycemic index is basically a food with carbohydrates that your body can quickly convert to sugar, meaning blood sugar spike. 100 is the median for glycemic index, anything above would be high and anything below or more close to zero would be a low glycemic index. The long and beautiful short of this, is Agave Nectar has a low glycemic index, meaning it is safer for diets like the Atkins and the South Beach Diet (which are both base on the glycemic index) and is great for those with diabetes or other blood sugar problems. Again, http://www.allaboutagave.com/ then clicking on the "Agave Nectar and the Glycemic Index" tab is a great place to start with some basic information on agave for all of you interested in the science behind it all.

     NOW for the more interesting part of agave, a few more recipe selections, courtesy of moi. I included the following because first off, buttermilk pancakes are HUGE in my family and this recipe is pretty close, but with agave instead. The cookies, well I obsess over a good chocolate chip cookie and I am determined to try these. And lastly, the brownie recipe is because it is a great prelude to my fresh ingredient of the week...black beans!

Fresh Ingredient Monday

     Just to keep things interesting, as if my life were not already so...(hey I gotta get it where I can) I have decided to present a new ingredient for cooking each Monday, whether I use it that day in cooking, or used it during the week. (Most often I am sure on the weekend!) Yup, that will keep 'em coming back for more (and me striving to have an actual goal to progress toward each week!) Let's get a fresh start then!
     Today's Ingredient; AGAVE NECTAR (from http://www.allaboutagave.com/)


While agave (pronounced ah-GAH-vay) is best recognized as the plant from which tequila is made, it has also been used for thousands of years as an ingredient in food. The nectar made from the plant is known in Mexico as aguamiel, or "honey water."

The Aztecs prized the agave as a gift from the gods and used the liquid from its core to flavor foods and drinks. Now, due to increasing awareness of agave nectar's many beneficial properties, it is becoming the preferred sweetener of health conscious consumers, doctors, and natural foods cooks alike.

Where Does Agave Nectar Come From?

Agave nectar (sometimes called agave syrup) is most often produced from the Blue Agaves that thrive in the volcanic soils of Southern Mexico. Agaves are large, spikey plants that resemble cactus or yuccas in both form and habitat, but they are actually succulents similar to the familiar Aloe Vera.
In many regards agave nectar bridges the gap between real and artificial sweeteners. While it has all the useful properties of real sugars, its lower glycemic index helps protect against health risks associated with higher glycemic sweeteners.
Agave nectar can be used in many more applications than artificial sweeteners, while also producing more palatable results. Since it is composed of real sugars (fructose and glucose), agave nectar performs admirably in the kitchen and bakery. It matches refined sugars in all the qualities mentioned above, serving as a browning agent, a humectant, a softener, and a preservative. 




SO, what glorious recipe did I create with this hot little commodity? Try these good morning muffins on for size!


P.S,: A word about Mueslix; for any of you who don't know, Mueslix is a cereal containing (usually) various grain flakes, chopped raisins and dates, oats, sliced almonds and maybe a light sweetner. I grew up on the stuff, we were introduced to it in Germany and used to make it ourselves for years afterwards. I chose this cereal because all the ingredients are great in carrot cake and they would be perfectly  proportioned for these muffins, especially since I personally only like a little texture while I am enjoying a great carrot cake. If you can't find it, sub in the above ingredients in your own preferred amounts.




     Glorious Carrot Cake Deliciousness Morning Muffin Madness (or Morning Carrot Cake for short!)


3/4 - 1 c Mueslix breakfast cereal
1/2 c quick cooking oats
1/2 - 1 c fat reduced buttermilk (or half buttermilk half unsweetened applesauce)
2 c unbleached all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 c brown sugar (not packed)
1/2 c agave nectar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
3/4 c canola/vegetable oil
1 c finely shredded carrots
1/2 tsp cinnamon
dash ginger, salt,  and ground cloves
1/2 c white chocolate chips


Crush cereal more fine, mix with oats and buttermilk (I used half buttermilk half applesauce because that was all I had, but I really liked the flavor too!) Let set while mixing other ingredients (for a total of 5+ minutes at least) Mix eggs, vanilla, and oil. Add sugar and agave. Sift flour, baking soda, and spices/salt together, then add to wet ingredients. Preheat oven to 350^ and spray muffin tins while waiting for wet ingredients to set longer. Add carrots and cereal mixture to wet ingredients. Mix in white chocolate chips. Spoon into muffing cups till 3/4 full. Bake for about 20 min or till toothpick comes out clean. Should make 18, enjoy!

The Most Amazing Coconut Cake EVER

       Yup my poor 5 yr old had 2 cakes for his birthday this year. I couldn't help myself, the pictures looked too good! And I made it all from scratch, including the fresh coconut... (I even got to pound it with a nail and get all that good coconut water AND roast it and the flesh for the topping!) All and all, it was a very exciting venture. I have included the recipe link to cookinglight.com (the magazine) for this fantastico but very time consuming cake and it was quite worth it, although do NOT refrigerate with the coconut on all ready, that seemed to make it (the coconut) a little tough. Enjoy when you get the time and chance... The bigger beauty here is that this newer health conscience recipe cuts calories from 622 to 332, fat from 38.5 to 10.8 and sat fat from 19.5 to 7.5 per serving compared to the old ways, so you don't even have to take a dive nutritionally! And it was tasty too...
                                                        Cooking Light's Coconut Cake

Chocolate; My Drug of Choice

     So late last night as I am laying in bed trying to wind down after the 1/4 bag of lovely dark chocolate York Peppermint flavored hard shelled candy goodness, with a side of Dove Dark Chocolate Promises (maybe 2, or 3, or 4, I seem to have lost count!) I realized that chocolate, no, dark chocolate truly is my personal drug of choice. Others may have alcohol, prescription medication, hot bubble baths or even a few crazy hobbies (I don't know, is stamp collecting even in still?!) but I have chosen my special dark cocoa to get me over a few rough spots here and there. Last night, after a particularly nerve racking and emotionally challenging day (yeah it felt a little pathetic considering I had only spent the day with my kids, but whatever) I needed something to settle my nerves a little. Since I don't drink, getting sloshed was a little out of the question. Prescription meds are also not in the books because I try to avoid any long term mood altering chemically ridden entirely addictive colorful little pills, and lets just say that a hot bath or some side hobby was not going to cut it. Then I remembered my parents sweet little chocoholic stash in the top drawer of their dresser, and life was about to get good again.
     
     INTERMISSION:     For each of your individual nutritional and educational benefits, I am including another new and favorite website AllChocolate.Com in which you have the joy of not only discovering the many health benefits of chocolate (namely dark chocolate) but plenty of fabulous recipes, information, tips, tools, history, and pretty much anything else your little chocolate heart could possible imagine (I know I could scarcely believe it myself!) The most important health facts of which I will summarize in part below;
Chocolate (namely dark) is full of anti-oxidants (the same kind of natural compounds found in fruit, vegg, grain etc). It has also been studied to show positive effects on the cardiovascular system (including reduced blood pressure, increased blood flow etc) which would explain the amazing and quick effects of such a divine food on my system last night, increased blood flow and decreased blood pressure are all positive results when it comes to regulating your emotions and getting enough of that all important life-sustaining  element...oxygen...to your brain! Also, according to this fantastic website, chocolate has a low glycemic index (how your body reacts to the sugars you eat), plenty of minerals, and that ever important effect on your endorphins (my personal favorite).
  
     I believe it would be safe to say that dark chocolate, in moderation, is not only healthy but a nutritional and positive alternative to the other drugs out there for sustaining one's mental and emotional health and well-being. In fact, I fully support it and would go so far to say that dark chocolate is an absolute necessity when it comes to one's health (both mentally and physically!) as I can attest to it's personal benefits in my own life, *sigh*. I would also like to propose that dark chocolate can actually help with my headaches. I was so excited last night to discover, yet again, another piece of evidence to support my migraine/headache theory. I gave in to some cheapy milk chocolate less than worthy cup of hot cocoa (due to a rather crazy romp in the snow at 22 degrees, with some cabin fevered kids) and sustained a miserable headache that was not to be calmed with any assortment of OTC medicinal complexes. By the time I ate my fill of dark chocolate before bed, I had my headache completely under wraps and and my mood quite calmed down. Coincidence? I think not! For I have done, at my own personal sacrifice and the benefit of my blog and my dear readers, many personal studies of such nature for the last several weeks. The result? Dark Chocolate always wins! And for me the most important affect was I've had no sugar hangover the next morning! Glorious, Glorious food! If this is but one weakness for me in this life, then so be it! And for your personal enjoyment, thanks to a friend who shared her secret a couple years back, a delicious double chocolate cake recipe fit for a king!

     Double Yummy Chocolate Cake Goodness


1 boxed chocolate cake (I prefer Pillsbury)
1 c sour cream
required ingredients in the box less about 1/4 c water
1 small box chocolate pudding mix
1 1/2 12oz bag mini chocolate chips


Follow directions on box for regular cake mix, add the other ingredients, heat oven, lightly spray two cake pans and fill as even as possible then bake for about 45-60 min (depends on oven, just make sure you check frequently toward the end and remove when cake tester is clean and cake pulls from side of pan) Cool and top with fabulous frosting following this recipe (including a delicious frosting layer in the middle!)


     Better Homes and Gardens Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting


1 6 oz package semisweet chocolate
1/4 c butter
1/2 c sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 to 2 3/4 c confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar)


Melt the chocolate and butter either in a double boiler or in the microwave (stirring every 20sec); cool slightly. Blend in cream, vanilla, and 1/4 tsp salt. Slowly beat in sugar till spreading consistency and frost those beautiful double chocolate cakes!

Back to the Land of Technology

     Well, sorta. I actually have been typing on my parents Dell, and I am now officially used to a Mac, and let's just say this sentence took double the time to type. I will blame it on that so I don't have to admitt how much mommy/pregnancy/travel brain kicks in after a week of the most mental stimulation being "where do I buy my next meal" to "ok I will NOT let highway hypnosis (whatever that is) get the best of me on this leg of my like 24 hr total drive. I am determined to get this blog super organized and exciting while I am here on "vacation" in Denver for the next month, and you are SURE to get all kinds of exciting recipes out of it too...if only I can keep up the premise that cooking is still fun even on vacation and that I can and will find the time to write about it despite screaming kids, diaper blowouts and other regular daily mishaps. I have a fun new book for you all to take a look at...I think it was one of my mom's publisher clearing house freebies or something like that. "Favorite Brand Name Best Loved Whole Grain Recipes" (mouthful) We tried the whole wheat chunky double chocolate cookies....can I just say super yum? And what a glorious debut to jump-start my way back into cooking! I really like it for the great meal and snack ideas using all kinds of whole grains, I surely run out of ideas for barley and even rice on my own, and this book was chock full of 'em! Here is a link to this sweet little find on Amazon.com

Best Loved Whole Grain Recipe Book; Amazon


     Chunky Double Chocolate Cookies


4 squares (1 oz ea) unsweetened chocolate
1 c all purpose flour
1 c whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 c packed brown sugar
3/4 c butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
12 oz white chocolate chopped or 1 12 oz pack white chocolate chips
1 c chopped nuts (optional)


Preheat oven to 350^. Melt chocolate according to package directions. Combine flours, powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat brown sugar, butter, and vanilla in a large bowl with a mixer til light and fluffy. Add eggs, beat til blended. Beat in melted chocolate. Gradually add flour mixture, mixing well after each addition. Stir in white chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by teaspoon full 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 11-12 min, cool for atleas 1 min before removing to a cookie rack. Makes about 3 1/2 dozen cookies



Enjoy and remember what the Monty Python boys always say,"No one expects the Spanish Inquisition"
Or something like that. Atleast thats how I have to see things after a crazy week of driving, moving, disneyland, crowds and otherwise. I hope I didn't leave anyone stranded, I promise to be more proactive... in the near future anyway!

Pumpkin is the Word of the Day

     So dinner last night was no less than amazing considering the lack of time or ingredients, thanks to Gary of course. I whipped up some kind of tortilla soup (one that comes with the recipe book, but because I didn't have all the ingredients I improvised) and it took like 2 minutes to make. We included some leftover beans and rice and the kids went wild over getting to eat tortilla chips for dinner; dippy style. Who knew?

     Back to the real exciting crux of this post however...pumpkin. It is on my top 10 list of top 10 favorite foods (Hey at least I condensed my favorites down to 10 top 10 lists ok?!) It is amazingly versatile, creating  everything from soup to pie and back again with muffins and cookies. This mornings triumph was a fantastically filling batch of Honey-Grain Pumpkin Muffins that did not last past breakfast. Of course I wasn't surprised though, as I may or may not have added mini chocolate chips to the top of a few of those decadent breakfast treats, in hope of a pre-pick-me-up for the day (at least for me!) Below I have included some recipes for you to try your hand at. Notice the pumpkin bean cookies. It may sound weird but when you are trying to skip on fat and need a quick treat, nothing beats a gooey pumpkin chocolate chip cookie fresh from the oven. My friend gave me the idea years ago when she told me you can substitute pureed beans for butter in most recipes. Well, I went on some crazy bean cooking kick, and while my white bean pie crusts were not much of a success, the pumpkin cookies have been off the charts and provided many a surprising smile for a couple of years now. Not that it would be a problem, but be sure to eat them all within the first day or two, as they are the most fresh and yummy right away!

     Honey-Grain Pumpkin Muffins

1/2 c.  buttermilk (other milk would probably work fine here, but buttermilk was best)

1 c. whole grain hot cereal (like Hodson's Mill Flax N Oat, just plain oats would probably work great here too only make sure the oats are blended a little more fine to create more of a flour)

1 c. unbleached all purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 c. honey

1/4 c. brown sugar, packed

1/3 c. canola oil

1 c. canned pumpkin

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

optional mini chocolate chips for the top

Preheat oven to 375^. Mix the first two ingredients and let sit for about 5 minutes. Then add remaining dry ingredients, mix well and add remaining wet ingredients mixing thoroughly. Fill muffin cups completely and sprinkle with optional choc. chips before baking for 20 min. Makes 12 very dense and filling yummy muffins.

     Pumpkin "Bean" Cookies

2 1/4 c. unbleached all purpose flour (or half white half whole wheat)

1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 c. white beans (about 1 15 oz. can)

3/4 c. to 1 c. honey

1 15 oz. can pumpkin

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 c mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375^. Puree beans until NO chunks, add honey and cream well. Add pumpkin, vanilla, and eggs, mix well. Add flour, baking soda & powder and spice. Mix again, stir in choc. chips. Drop by rounded tablespoon on lightly sprayed cookie sheet and bake for about 10-15 min (check after 10, can be soft then let set out of oven if lightly browned)

     Crustless Pumpkin Pie 

(although this is typically a holiday treat, this recipe is such an easy favorite in our house, we do it all the time, including for snacks!)

1 1/2 c sugar

4 eggs

4 tbsp butter soft

2 13 oz cans evaporated milk

1 tsp salt

1 c. Bisquick baking mix 

2 15. oz can pumpkin (about 4 cups fresh, 1 29oz can works too)

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

4 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350^. Spray 2 large pie plates. Beat all the ingredients well, add to pans and bake til golden or knife comes out clean. Can even serve with just a glass of milk and it is pretty much amazing. 

     Mom's Jumbo Batch Pumpkin Cookies 

(another old time family favorite, the dough refrigerates easy for making some whenever you want. makes a HUGE batch, you can cut it in half for easier use too)

10 c. whole wheat flour

4 c. oats

3 c. butter

4 c. sugar and brown sugar (yes that is 4 c each!)

4 tsp vanilla

4 eggs

2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

2 tsp salt

1 29 oz can pumpkin 

2 bag chocolate chips

Hey, this may be big, but we lived in a house of 5 kids, and 2 growing boys. Make these ahead and freeze them, they even seemed to taste better! Mix all the ingredients, and bake at 350^ for about 15 min.