Healthy Chocolate Chip Brownies!

Ok, these are awesome! These brownies are gluten free, no white sugar, no white flour, and all the ingredients are healthy! The first time I baked these I forgot to tell my husband they had healthy ingredients until about his third one and he couldn't believe it! One of the main ingredients is almond butter, which is good for you, but definitely high in fat, so I don't recommend eating five in one sitting, although you will definitely be tempted too! :)

Ingredients:
1 (16 ounce) jar salted almond butter, smooth roasted
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups agave nectar syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup dark chocolate chips

1. In a large bowl, blend almond butter until smooth.
2. Blend in eggs.
3. Blend in the agave, and vanilla.
4. Blend in cocoa, salt, and baking soda, and then fold in chocolate chips.
5. Grease a 9x13 glass baking dish with oil. Pour batter into dish, and bake at 325 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until knife comes out clean.

Quinoa and Black Beans

We thought this was a delicious vegan meal! Quinoa is such a delicious grain and is a great source of complete protein. Also any recipe involving black beans, cumin, and cilantro we LOVE! One of the sweet simple pleasures for me in this life is the aroma that comes from chopping up a big bunch of cilantro! Oh so heavenly! :)

Quinoa and Black Beans

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon oil
1 onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup frozen corn kernels
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 chopped fresh cilantro

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned.
Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with vegetable broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
Stir frozen corn and black beans into the saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 more minutes until heated through. Mix in the cilantro and serve.

Cheesy Spinach Dip

My niece brought this dip to a family get together a few years ago, and everyone LOVED it! It has been my favorite hot dip ever since! It is a great super bowl dip!

2- 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonaise
1 -10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 pound sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 tablespoon dill weed
2 garlic cloves, chopped

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese till smooth. Add the mayonaise and beat again till blended. Stir in the spinach, cheddar cheese, bacon, onion, dill, and garlic. Put the dip in a glass baking bowl (like pyrex), cover with foil, and bake at 350 for 1 hour or till cooked through and edges are bubbling. Serve warm with vegetables, crackers, bread, or whatever your heart desires!

Vegetarian Stuffed Shells

These Stuffed Shells taste so good and are loaded with vegetables!

Ingredients:
1 box large pasta shells
1 yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces white mushrooms
8-12 ounce package baby leaf spinach
16 ounces part skim ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 26 ounce can of your favorite spaghetti sauce
16 ounces shredded mozzarella

Cook the shells according to the directions on the box. Saute onions and garlic in the oil. Add the mushrooms and cook until tender. Wilt in the spinach. Set aside and let cool.
In a big bowl mix ricotta, egg, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Add cooled veggie mixture and stir well. Next put a small amount of the spaghetti sauce in a 9x13 dish, just enough to coat the bottom. With a spoon stuff the shells with the veggie mixture. (you will have leftover shells. Just stuff as many as you can). Pour the rest of the spaghetti sauce over the shells, and then sprinkle on the mozzarella cheese. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Coca-Cola Fudge Cake

This is a really moist and delicious chocolate cake! You can't really taste the coca-cola, but I think it makes it extra moist and flavorful! This is chocolately heaven!

Coca-Cola Fudge Cake

For the cake:
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup coca-cola
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 sticks butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 eggs
3/4 cups mini marshmallows
3/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips

For the frosting:
1 stick butter
1/2 cup coca-cola
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 cups confectioner's sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a small bowl pour 1/2 cup buttermilk and then add 1 cup coca-cola. Set aside. In another small bowl combine the flour and baking soda and set aside. In a large bowl beat two sticks of butter till creamy. Add the granulated sugar and beat until blended. To the butter mixture add 2 teaspoons vanilla and 1/2 cup cocoa powder. Beat again until creamy. Next add the eggs and the cola/buttermilk mixture and beat again until smooth and creamy. Add the flour mixture and beat just until incorporated. Finally fold in the marshmallows and the chocolate chips. Pour batter into a greased and floured bundt pan or 9x13 dish. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. When cake no longer wobbles when you gently shake it it is ready to come out of the oven. (if you bake it in a bundt pan it will take longer than a 9x13 dish). Let cool.
For the frosting, in a saucepan combine 1 stick butter, 1/2 cup coca-cola, 1/3 cup cocoa powder, and 1/2 cup chocolate chips, stirring constantly over medium heat until smooth. 1 cup at a time add the 3 cups of confectioners sugar stirring well between additions. Remove from heat when thick and saucy and stir in vanilla. Let the frosting cool some, and then pour over the cake. Yum!

Best BBQ'd Shredded Beef Sandwich

All you need to make a great BBQ sandwich.




I have made this recipe twice in the last month when we have had friends over for dinner. It worked out really great, because I love making meals that can be done ahead of time so that I am not too busy cooking when our friends arrive. We had it for Sunday lunch today which was great because I made it the day before and just had to reheat it when we got home from church. It goes great coleslaw on top.

BBQ Shredded Beef
3 pounds chuck roast
salt, pepper, and garlic powder, to taste
1 bottle Kraft brand Sweet and Spicy Chipotle BBQ Sauce
1 can or bottle Beer
1 bottle Sweet Baby Ray's brand Honey BBQ Sauce

Wipe crock pot with a light coating of vegetable oil. Sprinkle the roast generously on both sides with the salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Place roast in crock pot. Pour on the sweet and spicy chipotle sauce to cover completely. Pour beer over top and around the sides of the roast. Cover and cook on high for about 6 hours (you will know it is ready when you pick at it with and fork and it shreds very easily). Remove roast from pot and discard all liquids. Remove any fat and shred the beef and place back in the crock pot. Pour in the Sweet Baby Ray's and stir to coat the meat. Set on low for about 1 hour. Serve on sandwich rolls and top with coleslaw if desired.

Vegetarian Chorizo Pizza

This is my favorite vegetarian pizza! My awesome sister Donna gave me this recipe! My husband and I both agreed that you really can't tell that the chorizo is not sausage! So yummy!

Vegetarian Chorizo Pizza

Whole Wheat Pizza dough (I use Trader Joes)
1 cupish medium salsa (I like to use Costco's Kirkland salsa)
1 package tofu chorizo (I use Trader Joes)
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/3 cup black olives, sliced
1 cupish shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Take the chorizo out of the wrapping and heat in a skillet over medium high heat until browned. Roll out your pizza dough to a size that will fit your pizza pan. Spread on the salsa for your sauce. Next add the chorizo, red bell pepper, and olives on top of the salsa. Finally cover with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Let sit for five minutes. Slice and enjoy!