Strawberry Cupcake with Lemon Poppy Seed Frosting

Hahahaha. I'll tell you a secret. The microwave can make instant baked goods. For one person!

(Imagine the laughter above as being slightly mischievous)

This was so fun to make because it took less than 5 minutes. It didn't make a lot of messy dishes, I didn't have to wait on the oven, and there's LEMON. I believe I mentioned (yesterday) how much I enjoy lemon.

So I know the microwave thing is likely not so much of a "secret" to you at this point in your life.

I mean there's mug cakes, mug cookies, etc.

And I know this is nothing I made up. But today, I really enjoyed it. Mainly because I've tried this with cookies before and totally failed. They (the ones that didn't burn) tasted like...dry biscuits. No thanks.

But this is a winner! Also, I know I already mentioned this, but there's LEMON. Mmm.

This is the cupcake all dressed up with lemon poppy seed stuff (or schtuff as my mother would say).

And here's the cupcake before I added any frosting or anything

Looking plain. Perhaps a bit sad.

Healthy Strawberry Cupcake/Muffin

(recipe inspired by/adapted from Chocolate Covered Katie)

Ingredients for one muffin:

2 1/2 tbs flour (I used white/ww combo)

2 tbs milk

1 tbs chopped (~1 whole) strawberries

pinch of salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tbs mashed banana (or oil, applesauce, etc.)

(a small amount of sugar(1-2 tsp) would probably be appreciated by most people)

Directions:

Mix all ingredients. Pour into ramekin or small microwavable dish (grease this first). Microwave for 45-60 seconds, depending on your microwave. Let cool.

Mix a 1/4 tsp of milk with about 1-2 tbs of yesterday's lemon poppy seed dip and use it as frosting for this delicious...cuffin. Muffcake? 

Then eat it!

By the way, what's the difference between a cupcake and a muffin? Is a cupcake simply a muffin that is frosted? 

Either way, this muffcake is definitely healthy enough for breakfast!

Lemon Poppy Seed Dip

It's been storming off and on for a while. There's been plenty of heat and humidity in the area.

Probably in many areas. So here's a recipe for no oven, no stove-top, no bake deliciousness!

In fact, that's the main reason why I made it. I've been really into lemon baked goods lately. It seems like such a summer treat to me! And I really wanted to bake something lemony. But alas, I did not think that turning on the oven would be a good idea at all.

Side-note: If you're into lemon, I advise you to keep reading this blog. I suspect more lemon recipes in the future.

I didn't have to turn on a single heat source for this one! And once it's been in the fridge for a bit, it's a very refreshing treat.

Lemon poppyseed dip. I just got some poppyseeds and was SO excited to toss them in. I'm not even sure if they have a flavor. Are they good for you or something? I don't know, but they look nice I suppose! Just remember to avoid them if you're taking a drug test in the near future ;)

And lemons?? Well they are just wonderful little fruits. They are so useful. Someday, I may even decide to grow some myself. (I've read somewhere that they can grow from an indoor tree...but I'm slightly skeptical.)

I've heard so many great things about lemons! They can whiten your teeth, your skin (if so desired), your hair, your white countertops. They can clean cutting boards, soothe a sore throat, and keep fruit from browning. They also have loads of vitamins and are great for digestion. Not to mention, add a bit of sugar and they're super tasty.

Well, that being said, I'll give you what you're here for. A recipe!

Lemon Poppy Seed Dip

1 can chickpeas

1/4 c. oats

1 tbs nut butter

1/4 c. milk

2 tbs oil (or sub nut butter)

1/4 c. powdered sugar

pinch of salt

juice of 1-2 lemons

pinch of lemon zest

2 tsp poppy seeds

Combine all ingredients (except poppy seeds) and blend in blender/food processor. Stir in poppy seeds and serve! Chill in fridge if desired.

Notes:

-I used the juice of 2 lemons and mine was VERY lemony, which I enjoy. But I also didn't use any lemon zest. I recommend using lemon zest and no more than the juice of 1 lemon, but you can mess around with it.

-For a lower-fat version, you can sub some/all oil with applesauce, although it would probably have a more confusing flavor. I used coconut oil and that added a bit of "flavor confusion" in my opinion.

-If you're wondering what to serve this with, I would recommend strawberries (think strawberry lemonade)! But also crackers, plain cookies would be good. It could be used as a nice "frosting" to top buttermilk pancakes with, too. And, if you like lemon as much as I do, of course you can enjoy it by the spoonful as well!

-If you can share, it should serve 8-10 people. Calories per serving (for 10 servings) are approximately 150.

Avocado Chocolate Cherry Pudding

Last night I watched Avengers with my family. It's the second time I've watched it, but I've basically always been into superheroes. They're great, aren't they? In fact, I wrote a post about them at an older blog of mine, which I used as a bit of a journal rather than a food blog. They're awesome. And I believe we're made with a desire for a particular Superhero to save us.

Also, we do have some super pudding here.

Now, I'm not usually a fan of pudding. I think it's a weird texture, loaded with sugar, and I don't really trust it. But this I can handle! Because I know exactly what went into it. Banana, chocolate, cherries, avocado...some of my favorite things! And it was plenty sweet without added sugar! I love that :)

It's super. 
And super easy.

Black Widow Chocolate Cherry Pudding

Makes 1 Serving (approx. 400 calories)

Ingredients:

-1/2 banana

-1/2 avocado

-1 tsp cocoa powder

-1 tbsp chocolate protein powder (I used vegan Shakeology chocolate powder)

-1/2 cup milk

-1-3 ice cubes

-3/4 cup pitted sweet cherries

-1/4 cup gently crushed flake cereal

Directions:

Put everything in blender,  apart from some of the cherries and the cereal (I saved most of them, blending only 2 or 3).  Then pour into a bowl. It makes quite a bit, so make sure your bowl isn't too tiny. Top with crushed cereal and cherries. Sprinkle with more cocoa powder if desired. Enjoy!

Notes:

-This would probably be DELICIOUS frozen. I might try it sometime.
-If you want it to be colder or don't want to use ice, make sure that your banana, cherries, and avocado are all refridgerator-cold to start with. A frozen banana might be good for this.


I just added this to the "about me" section, but I want to mention that I've given up on food photography. There are many reasons. First, it's difficult and expensive, but mostly time-consuming. I appreciate the efforts that people put into food photography, but it's starting to creep me out. It's just food. It's meant to be eaten.
I know we want to take it in and remember it forever, but it sounds a bit gluttonous to me. That's why I'm not going to spend my time trying to get perfect pictures. I'll upload pictures so you can get an idea of what my recipes turn out like, but I'm not interested in you simply "gawking" at my food pictures.
My advice: 
Take a glance at my photos so you can get an idea of how to make the recipe in your own creative way, but don't stare longingly at them. I'll help you out here--they won't be that pretty.
Make your own pretty food. Enjoy it, share it, then eat it and move on with life. I believe we'll all be better off this way. :)

Pineapple Bars

I wanted to make some healthy lemon bars. So I set off to work right away. However, I quickly learned that I haven't made enough regular lemon bars in my life to make a healthy recipe...without using another recipe as a guide.

So they turned out...really bad. They kind of tasted a lot like nothing, with a really bad texture. Probably closer to quiche than to lemon bars, if you ask me. Except quiche is good.

Oh well. Gotta have some failures here and there, right? They encourage humility. Failures are good!

Plus...that particular failure helped lead me to this particular success!

Actually, the failed "lemon" bars were a lot more photogenic (just goes to show you can't judge food by it's appearance). They had a more solid consistency (like quiche) and were a bit thicker. But these pineapple bars may be gooey and floppy, but since when does gooey and floppy taste bad?

Last I checked, brownies were gooey. Those are delicious. And pancakes are floppy. Those are also delicious.

Anyway, these pineapple bars popped into mind when I saw a pineapple sitting on the counter as I was making the nasty lemon bars. I thought about the acidity of the pineapple and the bright yellow color and thought it would make a tasty bar like this! As I was making them, I realized that there's room for improvement. But maybe they'll give you an idea to kickstart some ingenious creativity.

I made a "healthy" version, so there's minimal fat and no added sugar (apart from powdered on top). And mine are fairly small. Feel free to take this where you want to! I'm sure it would also be good with the traditional lemon bar crust and a thicker, more sugary topping. 

Personally, I'll stick with mine. I can have 2 for under 150 calories! That makes them taste better in my mind :)

Healthy Pineapple Bars

yield: 8 servings

Crust:

1/4 cup oats

1/4 cup flour (I used oat flour, but wheat would be good too)

1 tbs unsweetened shredded coconut 

1/4 c plain greek yogurt

2 tsp coconut oil

1 tsp ripe mashed banana

1/4 tsp vanilla

pinch of salt

Custard:

1/2 cup pineapple juice

1 egg

1/2 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp flour

1/8 tsp vinegar

pinch backing powder

powdered sugar for dusting on top (about 2 tbsp)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine ingredients for crust and mix well. Smooth the crust dough into the pan so that it covers the bottom (I used a bread pan for these, because the recipe is about 1/2-1/3 the size of a normal recipe). Cook crust for 5-6 minutes.

For the custard, beat pineapple juice, egg, and vinegar. Combine cornstarch, flour, and baking powder, then add to the liquid ingredients. Beat well. When the crust is finished, pour custard mixture on top and bake for 10-15 minutes. The top will start to crack when it is ready.

Let cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting. I preferred these after they chilled in the fridge for an hour or two (the textures of both the crust and the custard seemed better). Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving, since it may soak up in the custard. Enjoy!

Variations/Notes

If you'd like to change some things, here are a few recommendations!

For more of a pina-colada bar:

 -replace some (maybe 1/2) of the greek yogurt with more coconut oil, and add more coconut shreds.

For a sweeter bar:

 -add 1-2 tsp honey or sugar to the crust

 -add 2-3 tsp honey or sugar to the custard

For a thicker bar:

 -double the custard amount

 -consider adding a second egg or just a yolk

PB&J Scramble

So last night I was on a wild goose chase with my mother and sister trying to find some bridesmaid dresses. My sister is getting married.

She's not the most decisive person. Although, neither am I. I'm just indecisive...differently.

We didn't find anything, thus the "wild goose chase".

Is it just us, or do all bridal store bridesmaids dresses look the same? Perhaps we're just too picky.

Despite the disappointment from not finding any good options, the night ended in a pretty exciting way! It was stormy. I was in the backseat as we were driving back home (the best place to take pictures from of course...), and I was camera-happy. The sky was so neat! (photo at the end of the post)

So we got back kind of late but when I woke up this morning, I was pretty hungry, and I wanted to try something new! So I thought perhaps a PB&J scramble! Basically every food group in a nice little bowl of yum! (Except veggies...maybe I'll work those in someday.)

Look! A much better picture compared to the malva pudding! It's good to have a real camera.

Yes, those are scrambled eggs. And strawberries. On top of oatmeal...nut butter oatmeal! Have I warned you about my experimental cooking yet?

Anyway, I've only tried sweet scrambled eggs a couple of times now, and I'm still getting used to them a bit. I'll warn you...they're kind of "squishier" than regular eggs. But pretty tasty if you aren't expecting the same exact texture!

The strawberry chunks in this were perfect! I wasn't sure if they'd be a good addition, but I don't regret it a bit.

Anyway, if you're craving a delicious and healthy bowl of warm PB&J for breakfast, this is definitely something I would recommend!

PB&J Scramble

PB Oatmeal

1/4 cup old fashioned oats

1/2 cup milk and/or water (I use a combo)

1 tbs nut butter

pinch of salt (omit if nut butter is salted)

J Scrambled Eggs

1 egg

1/2 very ripe mashed banana

1/3 cup frozen strawberry slices

Optional: If you find it's not sweet enough for you, I think honey would be a great addition, but didn't try it myself.

Directions

Heat frying pan/skillet on medium heat. Add small amount of oil or cooking spray.

Combine and cook the oats, milk, and salt in microwave for about 2 minutes. (Make sure the oatmeal doesn't overflow by using at least a 2 cup microwavable bowl.) Leave in microwave until ready with eggs.

Beat mashed banana with egg. When skillet is hot, pour mixture into pan. If strawberries are frozen, add them now. If not, wait about a minute. Scramble mixture as you would scrambled eggs. They will not become as hard or brown, so they will be done once you can't see any uncooked egg. Remove from heat.

Add nut butter to oatmeal. Stir well. 

Pour oatmeal into a bowl and top with scrambled eggs. If adding honey, drizzle on top. 

And enjoy!

Here's the pretty picture! A partial rainbow! And the sunset was on the other side of the sky. I didn't get many good pictures of that, unfortunately.

Healthier Single Serving Malva Pudding

Hello there!

Just a warning, this is new for me. Please bear with me as I get accustomed to the ways of the blogging world!

So my first recipe has a terrible picture. I'm very sorry about that. I left my camera at a friends' house and couldn't wait to eat my creation until I got it back from her. So I took a picture with my phone! At least there's a picture, right? (No Instagram, either, folks...I still haven't given in to a smart phone). Also, I ate some of it (most of it) before I got to take a picture. Forgive me for that too. It's an honest mistake! And, the background is terrible. I'll get better, I promise.

It's always good to leave plenty of room for improvement, right?

So here's the deal: if you haven't ever heard of Malva Pudding, I believe that's completely normal. It's a South African dessert that I found when I was searching for international dishes to make last summer. It's not like American pudding. At all.

Maybe more flan-like, or bread pudding-like. I'm not sure. I'm not an expert in either of those desserts. But it's sooo good. So you'll just have to try it for yourself!

Curious yet?

Oh and I attempted a healthier version. Now I'm not saying it's healthy. I'm saying it's healthier! But the original packs quite a saturated fat punch, due to all the butter. So I've gotten rid of the butter and scaled back on sugar a bit too. I also added some whole wheat flour.

Also, it's a one-serving recipe so you don't have to have a whole batch of delicious gooey malva pudding sitting around all week...or all day depending on your level of self-control. The only problem with this is that it's unlikely you'll have a 1/12 cup measuring device...or 1/3 tsp. I recommend just eye-balling it! It's good to do a little math in the kitchen every once in a while ;)

Mostly gone--that's a good sign, right?

I had my dad try it fresh from the oven (he hadn't tried the original) and he thought it was pretty good...which is saying something since he's not a huge fan of healthy desserts in general. I personally think it will definitely solve any malva pudding cravings I get! And I do get quite a few considering how recently it was that I found out about it.

Gooey and delicious, but ugly

So here's the recipe:

Healthier Personal Malva Pudding

Adapted from this delicious, but less-healthy version: http://simply-delicious.co.za/2011/04/11/malva-pudding/

Batter:

1 tsp banana--mashed and brown

1 tsp "smooth" preserves (I subbed strawberry, but the original calls for apricot)

1/8 cup sugar

1/3 tsp white vinegar

1/3 cup flour (I did a 1:1 ratio whole wheat:white)

1/3 cup milk

1/3 of an egg (or1/12 cup applesauce)

1/3 tsp baking soda

very small pinch of salt

Syrup:

1/8 cup honey (I used a little less, but it depends on sweetness preference)

1/8 cup of boiling water

1/10 cup of coconut oil

1/4 tsp vanilla

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350. Grease with olive oil or spray small oven-safe dish (I used a 1 7/8 cup glass dish).

Melt banana, preserves, sugar, and vinegar until smooth--I microwaved for 15-20 seconds, stirring in between. Sift flour, then add to mixture, alternating with milk. Add applesauce, baking soda, and salt. Mix well. Pour into greased dish, and put in oven. Cook for approximately 20 minutes. It should start to brown on the top and a toothpick should come out clean when it's done.

Begin the syrup with 5-10 minutes left in the oven. Add all 4 ingredients and heat to make a syrup. I used a microwave because of the small amount, but stove-top would've provided a better syrup-like consistency.

When the pudding is done, pour syrup on top. It should take some time to soak in, 5-10 minutes. When they syrup is soaked in and the malva pudding is cooled down enough to eat, dig in!