Mounds Brownies

My mouth is watering looking at these pictures and remembering how good this was!!

Ingredients:
Brownie layer:

• 1/2 c melted butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1/3 c cocoa powder
• 1/2 c all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking powder

Coconut Layer:

• 14 oz bag sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 can low fat sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 c powdered sugar

Glaze Layer:

• 2 TBS butter
• 3 oz semi sweet chocolate squares
• 1/4 c dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.

Melt your butter in a microwave safe dish for 30 seconds, add more time if needed to melt completely.  Allow butter to cool somewhat so you won't scramble your eggs!

Combine the eggs, vanilla, sugar together in a bowl, then add the melted butter.

Add in your cocoa powder, flour, salt, baking powder and stir to combine.

Pour into an 8x8 baking dish and put in the oven for 25-30 minutes.

Allow to cool completely before adding next 2 layers.

Make your coconut layer by combining all ingredients and stirring well.

Make your glaze layer by combining ingredients in a microwave safe bowl or measuring cup and melting in the microwave.  Do 30 second increments, stirring in between, until the glaze is smooth and all chocolate is melted.

It's delicious kept in the refrigerator!

Cheesy Cauliflower Pasta & Turkey

I'm having trouble naming this one, but I guess cheesy cauliflower pasta & turkey says it all!  This is almost like a homemade hamburger helper deal (which by the way I've never had in my life, but almost everyone knows what it is as a comparison).  It's easy and really yummy and filling for lunch or dinner.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. lean ground turkey
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• sea salt & pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 tsp oregano
• mrs dash onion & herb (or any spices you want to add would work)
• 1/4 c tomato sauce
• 1 1/4 c dry whole wheat pasta
• 24 oz bag (about 6 c) frozen cauliflower and low fat cheese sauce (like Green Giant)
• 2 wedges laughing cow light swiss
• sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese to serve

Brown turkey with onion and spices in saute pan.













Add tomato sauce, stir.  Cook cauliflower in microwave half the time it says on bag.  Cook pasta until just al dente, don't overcook!
Mix everything together in dutch oven or large pasta pot (I used the same pot I'd made the pasta in to have less pots to wash).  Cook on low heat for another 10 minutes, stirring several times to make sure everything is cooking evenly, and so you don't burn anything to the bottom of pot.  Stir in laughing cow wedges until melted.







(ALTERNATIVE METHOD: Instead of heating on stove, you can mix everything together and pour into a 9x13 or similar casserole dish and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes).  When you have a few minutes left for casserole to bake, cut up laughing cow cheese wedges and disperse throughout casserole, put back in oven for them to melt.





Sprinkle with shredded cheese to serve.

Nutritional Facts:

PER SERVING (1/8th of recipe, about 1 cup): 179 calories, 5.75g fat, 512mg sodium, 19g carbs, 2g fiber, 3.5g sugars, 12.5g protein









Adapted from Hungry Girl

Italian Veggie "Brothless" Soup

Inspired by a friend's innovative idea, I made this soup virtually "brothless"... so it' more of a pasta dish after it cooks.  I loved it this way, but if you want it to be more soup-like, just add another 15 oz can of broth when you make it.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup minced carrots
• 1 cup chopped zucchini
• 3 TBS olive oil
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 32 oz carton low sodium vegetable broth  
• 14.5 can petitie diced tomatoes, italian style, undrained
• 15 oz can tomato puree 
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 2 tsp dried or fresh chopped basil
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked small pasta - I used ditalini
• salt & pepper to taste
• shredded parmesan reggiano cheese to serve

In a large pot or dutch oven, cook the onion, celery, carrots, zucchini, and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat.  Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.  Add the broth, diced tomatoes, tomato puree, italian seasoning and a dash of salt & pepper.  Mix well and bring to a boil.  Add the pasta and cook for 10-12 minutes or until pasta is al dente.

Turn heat down to a simmer and allow to cook at least 10 more minutes.  Season with more salt & pepper as needed.  Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

Carrot Pineapple Muffin Bites

These are BY FAR the best carrot cake anything I've ever had!  They are so moist and scrumptious!  I definitely think it's the pineapple in the batter.

Ingredients:
For muffins:

• 1 cup moist style yellow cake mix (like Pillsbury Moist Supreme)
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup light domino sugar & stevia baking blend
• 2 TBS brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups carrots, shredded, and chopped if shreds are long
• 2/3 cup crushed pineapple in juice, not drained
• 1/4 cup raisins

For frosting: (optional - I preferred them without)

• 4 oz light cream cheese
• 1/3 cup greek yogurt (plain or vanilla)
• 1/3 cup light domino sugar & stevia baking blend
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350.
In a medium bowl combine cake mix, flour, sugar, brown sugar, spices and baking powder.  Mix well.

In a large bowl combine pumpkin puree and eggs.  Add in dry ingredients and mix until combined.  Stir in carrots, pineapple, and raisins.

Spray your muffin pan with nonstick spray.  Distribute batter into cups and bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes. 

While muffins bake, combine the frosting ingredients and whisk until blended.  Put in refrigerator to chill.  When muffins are done, allow to cool completely before frosting.  I thought this frosting was too runny, and I tried to thicken it but to no avail. So I recommend only frosting them right when you are eating them.  As I mentioned, I preferred them just as muffin bites with no frosting.

This recipe makes 38 mini muffins.  Great for sharing at a party or taking to work to brighten everyone's day!  And the nutritional facts will make everyone even happier.

Nutritional Facts (for one mini muffin):  40 cal, .5 g fat, 30.5 g sodium, .5 g fiber, 1 g protein.
For frosting on one mini muffin:  12 cal, 0 g fat, 10 g sodium, 0 g fiber, .5 g protein.


Recipe adapted from: Hungry Girl

Cheesecake Brownies

Ingredients:

For brownie:

• 2/3 cup chocolate chips 
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter 
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1 TBS cocoa powder

For filling:

• 3 oz cream cheese at room temp
• 1 1/2 TBS sugar
• 1 egg yolk  (Baker's tip - when you need only the yoke and have no fancy egg separater, the easiest way to separate is in your hand.  Break the egg into a bowl then very gingerly pour it into your hand, and VERY GINGERLY scoop the egg back and forth between your hands until you only have the yolk.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a muffin tin with liners or spray with non-stick spray.

For brownies:  Melt your butter and chocolate chips in a small bowl, 30 seconds, stir, then 20 seconds more, or until it's completely melted and smooth.  Allow to cool.

In a large bowl whisk together the eggs and sugar until light and foamy.  Add in the melted chocolate and whisk together, add in vanilla.

Add the flour, cocoa and salt and mix until combined.

Fill each muffin cup about 2/3 full with the brownie mixture, set aside.

For cheesecake filling:  In a small bowl cream together the cream cheese, sugar, and egg yolk.  Using a small spoon drop a spoonful on top of each brownie.

Bake for 20-25 minutes depending on the size muffins you're making.  Do your toothpick test to make sure they're done!

(I made one without the cream cheese on top because I wasn't sure I'd like the cream cheese part, but I did!)

Optional:  top with powdered sugar to serve.

Nutritional Facts: 215 cal, 9 g fat, 6 g sugar, 39 g sodium, 0 g fiber, 4 g protein.  (Based on 12 large muffins.)

Take them to a party!