Wacky Cake

1 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Cup White Sugar
3 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 Tbsp White Vinegar
6 Tbsp Canola/Vegetable/Coconut oil
1 Cup of room temperature water

Grease an 8x8 pan.

Mix together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.  Put the mixture into the greased pan.

Make 3 depressions in the mixture:  in one put the vanilla, one the vinegar, and one the oil.  Pour water all over all.  Mix Well.

Bake for 30 minutes at 350 or until toothpick comes out clean.

Fudge Icing:
1 cup Sugar
1/4 Cup Cocoa Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Whole Milk
1/3 Stick of Butter
1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Mix sugar, cocoa powder, and salt in a large tall pan.  Add milk and mix well.  Bring to a boil, stirring  constantly.

Cook for awhile until a small drop of mixture put into cold cup of water forms a ball in your fingers.  When at this consistency, remove from heat and add the butter and vanilla.  Stir rapidly until it thickens.

Pour over warm cake immediately before it sets.

Coca Cola Cake

2 Cups White Sugar
2 Cups Flour
1 Cup Butter
3 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
1 Cup Coca Cola
1/2 Cup Buttermilk
1 tsp Baking Soda
2 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
1 1/2 Cups small marshmallows


Mix sugar and flour in a bowl.

In a pot over medium heat, melt the butter and then add in cocoa powder and Coca Cola.  Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute.  Pour mixture into the bowl with the flour & sugar.

Stir in Buttermilk, baking soda, eggs, and vanilla.   Stir until smooth and then stir in the marshmallows.

Pour into a greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Chocolate Icing:
1/2 Cup Butter
3 Tbsp Cocoa
5 Tbsp Coca Cola
1 Box Powdered Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla

In a pan heat up butter, cocoa powder, and Coca Cola.  Stir constantly. Once it reaches a boil, remove from heat.

Add powdered sugar and vanilla and mix well.

Spread on warm cake.

Protein Oatmeal Muffins

Protein Oatmeal Muffins

Makes 18 Servings

INGREDIENTS

5 Cups Old Fashioned Oats
4 Rounded Scoops Unflavored Whey Protein

1/4 Cup Ground Flaxseed

1 tsp Salt

1 Cup Natural Peanut butter (or Nut Butter of Choice)

2 Cups Whole Milk 
1/2 Cup Full Fat Greek Yogurt

2 Cups Unsweetened Applesauce

1/4 Cup Coconut Oil, softened (or Oil of Choice)

1/2 Cup Pure Maple Syrup

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

12 oz Frozen Blueberries (or 2 Cups Fresh) (or fruit of choice)

DIRECTIONS

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and grease the muffin tins (or put down cupcake liners).

2.  In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the blueberries.  Stir until very well mixed, and then stir in the blueberries until combined. 

3.  Spoon batter evenly into 18 muffin cups (should be enough batter to fill each cup mostly to the top). 

4.  Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Be careful not to overcook. 

5.  You can eat immediately.  Otherwise, store in the fridge (and microwave when ready to eat), or freeze.  Can be kept in the fridge for a week.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serving Size:  1 Oatmeal Cup

Calories:  303

Fat:  14

Carbs:  31

Protein:  13

Sugar:  13

The Softest Chocolate Chip Cookies

The Softest Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Recipe adapted from Averie Cookies

INGREDIENTS

1/2 Cup (1 Stick) Unsalted Butter, softened

1/4 Cup Cream Cheese (not the whipped kind or lower fat)

3/4 Cup Packed Brown Sugar

1/4 Cup White Sugar

1 Large Egg

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

2 1/4 Cup All Purpose Flour (spoon into measuring cups)

2 teaspoons Cornstarch

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

1 tsp Salt

2 1/2 Cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

DIRECTIONS

1.  In a mixer, add in butter, cream cheese, sugars, egg, and vanilla.  Beat with paddle for 5-7 minutes.  Using a spatula, scrape down the sides.

2.  Add in flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.  Mix until just combined, about 1 minute.

3.  Pour in chocolate chips and mix until combined for just a few seconds.

4.  Refrigerate dough for at least 90 minutes or overnight.

5.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Roll into 2" balls.  Place 12 cookies at a time on a Silpat or parchment paper layered baking pan.

6.  Bake each batch for 8-10 minutes being careful to not overcook.  Remember it will continue cooking even after you take them out!

Healthy Meatloaf

My meatloaf is actually my kids' favorite meal.  I try to make it healthier by using oats instead of bread crumbs, and I think it really adds to the flavor.  My secret ingredient though?  Buttermilk.  It makes the mealoaf extra rich and moist!

Chicken Taco Salad

CHICKEN TACO SALAD

INGREDIENTS
Salad Dressing:
1/2 to 1 Jalapeno, seeded & chopped
1/3 cup diced & seeded Tomato
1/8 cup chopped Cilantro
1/3 cup Mayonnaise
1/3 cup Sour Cream
Juice of 1/2 Lime
1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp Onion Powder
Salt & Pepper, to taste

Chicken Mixture:
3 Cups of Shredded Rotisserie Chicken
1 (15oz) can Black Beans, drained & rinsed
Kernels of 2 Corn on the Cob, cooked
Juice of 1/2 Lime
1 Tbsp Chili Powder
3/4 tsp Cumin Powder
Salt & Pepper, to taste

Salad Fixings:
Head of Romaine, chopped
1 Tomato, diced
1 Avocado, diced
Tortilla Chips, broken up

DIRECTIONS

1.  To make the salad dressing, combine all the dressing ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth.  Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.  Allow dressing to chill in the fridge for a few hours before serving.

2.  In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, black beans, corn kernels (tutorial to quickly cook corn on the cob HERE), lime juice, and seasonings.

3.  To make the salads, evenly distribute the chopped romaine among 4 large salad bowls or plates and top with a handful of tortilla chips.  Put a fourth of the chicken-bean mixture in each bowl, and then top with the diced tomato and avocado.  Drizzle a generous serving of the salad dressing on top.