Low fat, low carb brownie cupcakes

I was watching the Food Network this weekend and the Hungry Girl was on. She was making foods that you could replace some of your guilty pleasures with. She made kale chips to replace potato chips. She made butternut squash fries. The one I knew I had to try though, were these brownie cupcakes. So easy, low fat and they are so delicious!

Brownie cupcakes

1 box chocolate cake mix (I used the Sugar Free type)
1 can pumpkin (do not use pumpkin pie mix)

1. Preheat oven to temperature instructed on package of cake mix. Line muffin tin with cupcake liners.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine pumpkin and cake mix. Stir until combined. It will seem dry, but it will come together, just keep mixing. Fill cupcake liners about 3/4 full. Bake as instructed on package of cake mix for cupcakes.
3. Allow to cool and you can either frost or eat as is. YUM!

Almond Joy Cupcakes

Yum! Try these! I used a recipe for the topping and glaze from foodnetwork.com. You can find that recipe here Almond Joy Cupcakes CAKE 1 box coconut cake mix 1/3 cup applesauce (substitution for oil in cake mix) 3 eggs 1 1/3 cup water 1/3 cup minced almonds COCONUT TOPPING 14 oz shredded coconut 1 Tbsp powdered sugar 2 cups milk (original recipe calls for whole milk- I used 1/2 cup coffee creamer and 1 1/2 cup skim milk) 1/2 tsp vanilla extract Pinch of salt CHOCOLATE GLAZE AND GARNISH 6 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate 3 Tbps light corn syrup 1 Tbsp unsalted butter 3 Tbsp hot water (I forgot to put this in and it came out fine) Whole almonds for garnish 1. Preheat oven as directed on box of cake mix. Line cupcake pan with paper liners 2. In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, applesauce, water, minced almonds and mix with electric mixer as directed on box. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. 3. Bake cupcakes as directed on package. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Using a spoon, scoop out the center of the top of the cupcake to make room for coconut topping. 4. While cupcakes are cooling, prepare the coconut topping. In a medium saucepan, stir together milk, coconut, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Bring to a boil over medium high heat stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium or medium-low and allow to simmer until most of the milk has absorbed (approx 15 minutes) stirring occasionally. Allow to cool. 5. In a microwave safe dish, combine chocolate, corn syrup, butter. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Microwave at 50% power for 1 minute. If chocolate is completely melted, remove from microwave, stir and keep warm. If not completely melted, continue to microwave until melted. 6. Fill top of cupcakes with coconut topping and top with chocolate glaze. Top with whole almond for garnish.

Wonton Desserts

With some of my leftover wonton wrappers, I decided to make a dessert. Of course, there is chocolate...dessert is never complete without chocolate.

Wonton desserts

Banana wontons

1/2 package of wonton wrappers
1 banana
1/4 cup chocolate chips
Sugar and cinnamon for dusting

1. If frying, bring oil up to 350F. If baking, preheat oven to 350F and prepare baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Dice banana.
3. Put a small amount of banana and a few chocolate chips (do not overstuff) at the tip of the wonton closest to you. Fold in side tips and roll into tight roll.
4. If baking, place on baking sheet and bake until browned. If frying place in oil and cook until browned. Be sure not to overcrowd oil as this will drop the temperature.
5. When finished cooking, dust with sugar and cinnamon.

Raspberry wontons

1/2 pacakge wonton wrappers
1/4 cup raspberry preserves
1/4 cup chocolate chips
Sugar for dusting

1. If frying, bring oil to 350F. If baking, preheat oven to 350F and prepare baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Put a small amount of raspberry preserves close to end of wonton wrapper closest to you. Place a few chocolate chips over preserves. Fold in side tips and roll tip closest to you towards opposite ends to make a roll with edges tucked in.
3. If baking, place on baking sheet and bake until browned. If frying, place in oil and fry until browned. Be sure not to overcrowd oil as this drops the temperature and will lead to soggy rolls. Remove from oven or oil and dust with sugar.

More granola

I had such a craving for more granola, so I looked up a recipe that didn't use pumpkin (I am out for now). I came across this recipe on orangette blog.

Granola

3 cups rolled oats (I used quick cooking)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup shredded coconut
2 Tbsp sugar
Pinch salt
6 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup chocolate chips (I used semisweet chocolate chunks, but any chip would do- you could even mix up different flavors of chips)

1. Preheat oven to 300F
2. In small sauepan over medium-low heat, combine honey and oil and heat until runny.
3. Meanwhile in large bowl, combine oats, pecans, coconut, sugar, salt. Pour honey/oil mixture over oat mixture and toss to coat. I use my hands to press together to get a few chunkier pieces
4. Pour mixture onto greased baking sheet and bake at 300F for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and toss. Continue baking for 10 more minutes (or until oats are golden).
5. Allow to cool and add in chocolate chips (I added mine in when the mixture was still warm, and the pieces melted slightly allowing granola to stick to them, making a crunchier snack. I prefer it this way. To get the chips to set though, I had to store in the refrigerator).

YUM!

Chocolate Raspberry Ganache Cake

Today is my mom's birthday and I knew I wanted to make her a cake. Every year for my birthday she always makes me a special cake. Last year it was a chocolate cake with a super yummy white chocolate frosting. My birthday usually falls right around Thanksgiving which has plenty of it's own desserts, but my awesome mom always goes out of her way to make my birthday special. I wanted to do something nice in return for her. I made this cake and it was a hit! I could probably eat the whole thing (and be awfully sick). This isn't the prettiest photo. It was so tasty, we cut into it as soon as we could.

Chocolate Raspberry Ganache Cake

Cake (recipe from Hersheys.com)

2 cups sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I used apple sauce)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Prepare two 9-inch round baking pans with cooking spray.
3. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
4. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.
5. When cool cut each cake in 2 layers (will be a 4 layer cake)

Raspberry Buttercream
1/2 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

1. Cream together butter and raspberry jam until smooth with stand mixer or hand mixer.
2. Sift in powdered sugar and continue to beat until smooth.
3. Refrigerate while cake cools


Chocolate Raspberry Ganache
8 oz semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup cream (I used half and half)
1/2 cup raspberry jam

1. Bring cream to a bubble over medium high heat. Add to chocolate chips and stir until melted. Add in raspberry jam and stir until well incorporated.
2. Refrigerate while cake cools.

Chocolate Ganache
4 oz semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup cream (I used half and half)

Bring cream to a bubble over medium high heat. Add to chocolate chips and stir until melted.



PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
1. Put 1 layer of cake on serving platter. You may want to first put wax or parchment paper around edges to keep serving platter clean.
2. Top 1st layer of cake with half of the chocolate raspberry ganache. Cover with 2nd layer of cake.
3. Spread raspberry buttercream over the second layer of cake. Cover with 3rd layer.
4. Top 3rd layer of cake with remaining chocolate raspberry ganache. Cover with top layer of cake.
5. Pour cooled chocolate ganache over the top of the cake and let it drip over the sides. Frost cake with ganache.

Chex Muddy Buddies

This is such an easy and delicious snack...albeit, maybe not the most healthy option, but great to satisfy those chocolate/peanut butter cravings. I made my brother a whole batch to share with his girlfriend for Christmas. I couldn't stop snacking on them. I recently made them again (with a slight tweak that I will discuss at the end) for this weekend's upcoming Gasparilla Extravaganza Children's Parade. We are going with our friends and bringing my niece. It will be a long day, so we will need snacks. I also had a bunch of Chex left, so what else to do with them, but to make these? Oh by the way, we always referred to this as "Puppy Chow."

Chex Muddy Buddies
(Printable Recipe)

9 cups Chex cereal (you can use any you like or even combine some)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (see below for a yummy recommendation)
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar


1. Into large bowl, measure cereal; set aside.
2. In 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter uncovered on High 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 30 seconds longer or until mixture can be stirred smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until evenly coated. Pour into 2-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag.
3. Add powdered sugar. Seal bag; shake until well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Store in airtight container in refrigerator. You can even freeze this recipe.

For my substitution I divided the entire recipe in half and instead of having all chocolate, I used white chocolate for half. My hubs said he thinks he likes the white chocolate better! I thought it was taste funny with the peanut butter, but it doesn't. The white chocolate and peanut butter combo actually tastes a lot like Reese's Peanut Butter Cup peanut butter and very little like white chocolate.

SO GOOD!
Oh here is the nutritional info from http://www.chex.com/

1 Serving (1/2 cup): Calories 220 (Calories from Fat 80); Total Fat 9g (Saturated Fat 4g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 5mg; Sodium 200mg; Total Carbohydrate 30g (Dietary Fiber 1g, Sugars 17g); Protein 3g % Daily Value*: Vitamin A 6%; Vitamin C 2%; Calcium 6%; Iron 25% Exchanges: 1 Starch; 1 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 1 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 2 MyPyramid Servings: 1 tsp Fats & Oils *% Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.