Category Archives: Desserts

Every once in a while you have to have sweets.

Dark Chocolate Covered Strawberries and 29

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Well, this is my Birthday week. It’s my last year in the 20’s and although I really don’t feel any different, I am looking forward to what this year will hold for me in all senses.
I have to be honest I am actually happy to be getting older. I feel sexier, healthier and definitely way more comfortable under my own skin than I think I have my whole life or at least since I was 15 when things were easy and simple.

I have gone through so much in the past 9 years I think I could write a book.
I’ll tell you the top 9 things that happened to me since I turned 20; seeing that I’m turning 29 I’ll put one down for each year in my 20’s.

  1. I got married 9 years ago to the most amazing person ever. Not only is he intelligent, handsome, courteous, thoughtful, humble, funny and understanding. He also makes me smile every single day, his faith in me and support are things that I can only thank God for. I know that I am lucky and I will strive forever to be the best wife/friend/woman I can possibly be for him but mainly because I need him in my life (so for me)!
  2. I moved to the States 9 years ago, leaving behind my roots and following my husband along with what ended up being an amazing experience allowing me to become cultured in all aspects of life all the while sharing my experiences with a wonderful man by my side. I started my whole life from scratch, moving from Georgia to Florida back to Georgia. In this time I found some amazing people that are still close friends, I had a wonderful job, and I became a US Citizen.
  3. I got to see alot of the US; New York, Miami, Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Washington DC, San Francisco, Napa Valley, Beverly Hills, LA, California, Savannah, Atalanta, Delaware, Annapolis, Charleston, Wilmington NC, Raleigh, All the Keys, Hilton Head SC, Tampa, St. Petersburg FL, Clearwater FL, Boston, St. Augustine. How lucky am I! All of which are unique and beautiful. I found something I love in each city.
  4. I learned a lot about health, from very Normal Eating to becoming a Vegetarian to Veganism, back to Normal Eating with a more wholesome, organic and biological aspect. I am thoroughly in awe about how much there is to discover in this aspect of life. Nutrition is a passion of mine.
  5. I was able to hang out in some of the best clubs in the USA with amazing DJs from Pete Tong, Tiesto, Armin Van Buuren, Paul Van Dyk, Eric Morillo, Deep Dish, Flosstradamus, Steve Aoki, Kaskade, etc….I also got to see Velvet Revolver play at Mansion in Miami; as well as (ok, hang on……) Hoobastank, remember “The Reason”, well I loved that song and they played in St. Petersburg, Dave Navaro again down in Miami, Bengi Madden with Paris Hilton (yeah back when they were dating), etc…
  6. I became a Yogi. I love Yoga the way it makes me feel is something out of this world. My favorites are Ashtanga, Power Yoga and Vinyasa. It really has strengthened my body. I also started with Pilates and find that the mixture between yoga and pilates is a fantastic combo. Not to mention that 6 month ago I started the Tracy Anderson Meta Program and this has been the best challenge became addiction, I can’t live without her 6 days a week. My Body looks better than ever.
  7. I wanted to go to an Island for some relax, sun and romance with my Husband. We did! Yes, it was Maroma in Cancun Mexico. What a paradise that was I mean the powder white sand, the massage in a cabana over the sea at sunset with only the sound of the waves, the lobster candlelight dinner with our own little cabana out in the middle of the sea, the bubble rose petal bath, the pool on our balcony overlooking the sea with champagne, the amazing fresh fish fished everyday and cooked to perfection, and all the romance that surrounded us the whole 7 days.
  8. We wanted to move to Italy and not save that on a bucket list, so we decided to sell all, quit our jobs and move to Italy. Has it been a journey, I mean coming back home and bringing back my amazing Husband has been a reward of a lifetime, challenging but rewarding. I love my country and it’s such a different experience to see it with him. We are taking full advantage of the farmers markets, fresh foods, wines and amazing cuisine. We went to Tuscany, Positano, Florence, Venice, Cinque Terre, Verona, Rome just to name a few. Oh man, I’m falling in love with my country more and more.
  9. Oh, did I mention we went to Paris. Yeah, such a gorgeous country. Okay I know that this is a lot of countries, but if there is one thing I love (and Thank God my husband does too) is to travel, we really love to take trips and see things that we will be able to enjoy now that we are young. We are making the most of our lives. So that when we have kids we can sit back and relax. (or enjoy their craziness). Ha!

Now, back to the recipe of the day (or that I will eat for my Birthday). I think it’s perfect because you can maintain your summer figure without giving up on a delicious dessert and still reap the benefits and nutrients that your body actually needs from the Strawberries and Dark Chocolate. This is definitely a favorite of ours and also just so simple to make. I usually make about 250gr. and save them in the fridge for about a week in an airtight container. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

250 gr. Strawberries, washed and patted dry

1 bar Dark Chocolate (I use 70%)

Parchment Baking Paper

Get a smaller pot fill with water only about a little over a quarter, place over medium heat bring to a boil. In the meantime get a smaller bowl (make sure it’s strong enough to withstand heat glass or ceramic should do the trick) that will be able to fit in the pot, get your chocolate bar and break it up placing inside of the bowl.

Once the water is boiling lower heat to a minimum and place the bowl with the chocolate inside give it a few minutes and you will see that the chocolate will start to melt, stir gently with a spoon and when it’s completely melted you may turn off heat.

Prepare a flat dish with the parchment paper laid out on top of it and now grab your strawberries, dip one by one and lay gently onto the parchment paper. Place the strawberries in the fridge for about 20-30 minutes then eat. Or leave them in the fridge until ready to eat. Simple.

The method I used to melt the chocolate is called Bain-Marie you can learn more here

Soft, Healthy, Dairy & Gluten -free Oatmeal Cookies

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Experiments, Experiments. Seems like I am always trying to find a way to think up healthy good for you alternatives to some of my favorite meals and treats.

So, let’s start off with me heading to the store on my bike; I only had to get a few things some fruit and veggies. Like most of the time I ended up buying way more than I planned, not thinking much of it I got this heavy bag put it on the back of my bike and secured it with the latch. I started riding my bike and I could feel as though it might be a bit too heavy and without even giving me the chance to stop the bag flies out of the bike onto the middle of the street, argh……. so I stop start picking up my bananas, melon, nuts, and so forth put them back on the bike and try to hold onto them while trying to pedal and maneuver this bike to the house at the same time; as if one time weren’t enough the bag flies out onto the middle of the street for a second time bringing a car to a screeching halt, eyes rolling at me as if I were some idiot (which I guess I sorta was). I raise my hand politely saying sorry and pick up my fruit again. This time I put some on the side bags and then the rest in my basket up front. Got home without any other unbearable embarrassment. Phew!!

I’m sure you can guess at this point that my bananas were completely bruised 😦
Although thankfully enough the rest wasn’t really damaged, I lost a good portion of my nuts, but I guess that’s what I get for not thinking this grocery run through correctly. (BTW I like to go to the grocery store on my bike, but I generally get just a few things and this sorta sh@#t doesn’t happen.)

Well I had to figure out a way to use these poor, poor bananas (no way in hell I was going to throw them out after all I had been through!)
Ummmm, well what is great with bananas none other than our friend oats?!
I decided that I would try to make healthy oatmeal cookies adding a nice alternative to my breakfast or a snack. They actually turned out quite tasty. And to top it off healthy, so what more could one want. I’d say they are a breakfasty, protein packed, pre-workout or just anytime cookies. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
Makes about 6 cookies

1 Banana

1/4 cup Peanut Butter, (all natural)

1/2 cup Oats

1/2 tbsp. Sucant Sugar, Or raw

1 tsp. Baking soda

1 tsp. Vanilla extract

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1/4 cup Raisins or Dried Cranberries

Preheat your oven at 350°F (180°C)

Mash up your banana and mix in a bowl along with peanut butter.

Add baking soda, vanilla, cinnamon and sugar mix well. Now add the oats and raisins. Mix thoroughly.

Spoon onto baking sheet and cook for about 15-20 minutes. Enjoy!

Too Delicious to resist, Heavenly Coconut Balls; Gluten and Dairy-free

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This is probably one of my favorite recipes that I will have posted to date. I do love all the other recipes; they are a part of my life and who I am and what I love to eat. With food, I generally think of things that go good together and make a dish that more often than not turns out to be amazing (That’s what my husband says). But this one recipe in particular, may it be because I don’t consider myself a baker or maybe because it didn’t take me one time but about 10 times at this point to get it perfect and somewhere that I felt good enough to publish (not that the other ten times they weren’t good I just wanted perfection), or whatever the case I love it and I’m proud of it!

I love coconut so although I must’ve eaten about 30 of these in the past 2 months, I’m glad because I actually lost weight and have a new found love for coconut and it’s healthy reputation.  Growing up here in Italy one of my favorite candy bars, were the famous Bounty bars made with shredded coconut and covered in chocolate. Yum. Then along came Ferrero chocolate company with it’s Raffaello chocolate with an almond in the center and covered with nothing but coconut itself.
Well, I stopped eating all these chocolates about maybe 8 years ago, occasionally indulging in one but don’t really have that love for them anymore because they are just too sweet and of course full of “other ingredients” that I can’t really even spell out.
All of these delicious products eventually become something I never craved or think of because they just aren’t part of the healthy woman that I am or became. I much rather indulge in things that are home-made and fresh. Don’t get me wrong occasionally a friend or someone will offer me one and I’m not saying I would never stick one of these in my mouth but I wouldn’t go out of my way to buy them, especially because now I have this recipe and the ingredients and flavor in these are so much more rewarding.

Also I am not saying that you are going to lose weight if you eat these. I love to work out and eat healthy foods and I guess that the combination of working out and the adding this healthy fat have really worked out for me and I couldn’t be happier.  It was a coincidence and a welcome at that.

Coconut has really been exploding over the world these past few years as a good for you fat, and how you should cook with it and use it as a fat substitution and try to incorporate it in your everyday diet (information we all knew just forgot about it). Just like nuts they are a healthy fat and you should eat them everyday. Be careful though that doesn’t give you a hall pass to go crazy, you still need moderation, after all that is the secret to being your best self ever! But do make them for New Years and serve them, your friend will go crazy. Or when you have a girls get together you can serve these as a little dessert this way you keep your waistline in check but your belly happy and indulged.

I should mention though the one that has really eaten about 100 of these is my husband, he loves them. Since I’ve know him and been married to him which is 9 years; he always eats a chocolate after dinner, but since these he will not buy chocolate and eats one of these every night and looks forward to them like a cute little puppy that he is, (in a mans body of course!) For him (seeing that he’s a chocolate lover ) I cover in dark chocolate, but I like to leave mine plain. So you choose how you want yours. If you want them plain just don’t dip them in the chocolate. I make this batch once a week and store it in a cookie tight container and they maintain wonderfully. Enjoy!

 

Ingredients:

Makes about 15 balls

2 cups of Coconut, shredded

1 cup of Almond flour*

2 Egg whites

4 tbsp. Honey

3 tbsp. Flax oil**

1 tsp. Vanilla extract

½ tsp. Salt

1 bar Dark chocolate

 

Preheat the over at 350°F (or 180°C).

Mix all ingredients besides chocolate in bowl. If you have an ice cream scoop use it, it will save you all the tedious work. If not (like myself) wet your hands and grab a spoonful of the mix and compact balls together patiently. (They will sometimes fall apart, just restart the ball, they are really light so this is bound to happen.)

They will turn out just takes time, don’t worry about them being too perfect.

Place balls one by one on the baking sheet or cookie tray and bake for 15 minutes, or until golden. Remove allowing to cool down.

If Chocolate coating them:
Get your chocolate bar and break into pieces, place in a ceramic or glass bowl and melt at Bagno Maria a.k.a Bains-Marie (which means to place in a small pot of water, over medium heat, place a smaller bowl or pot inside it and gently allow ingredient to melt); if not place bowl in microwave and melt about 2-3 minutes. Mix until smooth with a spoon and one by one dip the balls in, gently roll them around in the chocolate and then place on wax paper (or use the same baking paper you cooked them in). Allow to harden.
You can leave them at room temperature for about 2 hours, or place them in the fridge for half hour and they’re done.

*You can omit the almond flour and either replace with oat four or coconut flour itself**You can replace the Flax oil with coconut oil, or linseed oil, grape seed oil; I liked mine best with the flax oil.

Gluten-Free Crunchy Peanut Butter Nutella Cookies

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A sweet treat for all mythineaters to make this holiday. You didn’t think that I would just expect no one to be craving something yummy and sweet, especially considering that there will be great temptation.

This is how it all started. We had dinner with a friend the other night and I really wanted to bring something. He wasn’t feeling good and I figured that if we brought a bottle of wine (which is our go-to, especially here in Italy, it’s always everyone’s favorite), he probably wouldn’t drink it.
He said that Pizza was on the menu and to not worry about bringing anything. I for one can’t bring myself to not bring something when going over to someone’s home. He’s been really nice to us, he often goes back to the States and every time brings us back something, like for instance hot sauce for my hubby, and organic peanut butter and for me; well let’s say I wanted the 50 Shades of Grey book series in English and couldn’t find them here in Italy so he brought them back from the USA.  Anything that we can’t find here in Italy he does the favor of getting them for us.

Well, it was cold outside I didn’t want to have to leave the house to go to the store (also cause I had no idea what I wanted to get). So I opened the cupboards, by this point I knew I wanted to make a dessert but not to heavy and also without flour considering that we were going to have plenty of it for dinner. I saw the Peanut and knew in that moment that it would be cookies. I also saw the Nutella and figured that seeing that they are pretty much the same consistency they should go good together, this was perfect. A power cookie with a little extra yummy goodness in there, afterall Nutella is made of hazelnuts and chocolate. They turned out fantastic and our friend really enjoyed them, my husband said that they tasted like a Reeses Peanut butter cup.
So, here is the super easy and delicious recipe. Now you can indulge this holiday without feeling too guilty. Enjoy!

Ingredients:Makes about 24 small cookies

1 cup smooth Peanut Butter (try to get the natural ones, no sugar or other additives)

1/2 cup Nutella*

3/4 cup Sugar

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1 Egg

1/4 cup Hazelnuts (finely chopped)**

1/4 cup Dark Chocolate (finely chopped)

Preheat the oven at 350°.
In a medium bowl mix sugar with baking soda, whisk in your egg and then add your peanut butter and nutella. Mix all ingredients. Stir in your chopped hazelnuts and chocolate. Prep 2 baking trays with parchment paper.
Get tbsp and scoop out dough; make balls and set on the trays.
Once you’re done with the balls grab a fork and make crosspatch patterns on each cookie.
Bake for 15 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned. Let cool before eating.

* Nutella is optional you can follow the recipe the same way and just leave it out
** Hazelnuts that’s what I had but you can replace with any nut you want
*** You can also make larger cookies that is up to you, I did!

NewYork Style Yogurt Cheesecake

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This one is dedicated to my beautiful little sister, which just so happens like many of us to love cheesecake. She has never been to New York or to the USA for that matter but she just loves cheesecake, now of course the Italian style cheesecake is very different from the traditional and delicious New York style cheesecake and although the Italian one is pretty darn good, nothing beats the New York Cheesecake.

My sister being a huge sweet tooth, something that you (mythinreaders) know that I am not, requested a cheesecake for her birthday so I decided anyways that I would go on a huge endeavor and try to replicate this delicious American dessert (which by the way I do love myself). It was her birthday this past week so I made her the Cheesecake, she loves the crust so I made the crust as high as the cake with fresh strawberries as the topping. I made my own strawberry sauce from scratch and it was simple, delicious and fast. I am sure that you will love it. I also found here in Italy Philadelphia cream cheese made of yogurt so I decided to use that but you can use the regular version I am sure it will taste just as good. Just make sure that all ingredients are at room temperature.

This is an always welcome dessert in my household, it is also my husband’s favorite; his Mom always makes sure that during the holidays he finds the mini versions. Those are perfect because they keep you from eating too much of it, it’s fantastic for portion control, also because cheesecake is so good that you could honestly just continue eating it.
I think Cheesecake is most everyone’s favorite however; and a fantastic treat. So why not share it with everyone out there. I hope that you enjoy if and don’t be afraid of making it; it’s not as hard as it seems and really is worth it. Enjoy!

 

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

3 cups of crushed graham crackers

½ cup sugar

6 tablespoons butter, melted

For the Filling:

4-8oz. pkg. Philadelphia cream cheese

8oz. Sour cream

4 eggs

½ tbsp. Lemon zest

1 cup Sugar

1 tbsp. Vanilla

2 tbsp. Flour

For the Sauce:

1 cup Strawberries, Fresh pureed

2 tbsp Sugar

2 tbsp powdered Sugar

2 tbsp. Cointreau, optional

Top off with fresh cut Strawberries

 

Preheat oven at 550° F.  In a bowl mix together all the ingredients for the crust well and pour in a medium spring-form pan, press the cookie crust down evenly on to the bottom and up the sides of the pan. When it is all set put in the oven and allow to bake for about 8 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove and allow to cool completely.

In the meantime in a bowl or mixer bowl add your cream cheese, sugar, zest and vanilla, beat until softened and then add your sour cream and flour and do the same. Now add your eggs in one by one and mix well, don’t overbeat. Once all your ingredients are perfectly incorporated pour in the prepared crust and bake at 550° for 10 minutes, then lower immediately to 200° and bake for 40 minutes or when the center is only slightly wobbly when shaken.

Remove from the over and allow to cool for at least 3 hours outside of fridge and then allowing to chill in the fridge for about 6-8 hours or even overnight.

Put all your ingredients for the sauce in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil set aside and let cool.

Pour over the cake evenly, layer your strawberries sliced in half over the cake and serve. Delicious!!!

Grapefruit Yogurt Pound Cake

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As you (mythinreaders) may know I love home-baked cakes all natural with no frosting whatsoever of any sort. I don’t know why; but there is just something about frosting on my cakes or dessert that completely turns me off. I love to have a delicious moist cake and that’s it.

I am no big sweet tooth; the thing that I crave regarding sweets (if ever) is a good homemade cake (no frosting) or a plain cheesecake with strawberries. Oh let’s not forget a cinnamon roll is great too!!

However, when I do have dessert I like it as healthy as possible. You can substitute just about anything and still have a delicious dessert, I have never had a healthier version of a dessert that I thought tasted nasty or wasn’t worth eating. Then again maybe I’ve just been lucky. HA!

In this recipe I use non-fat natural yogurt, I love grapefruit so I used that for zest instead of lemon (although you can use lemon because it tastes just as good). I used extra virgin olive oil instead of regular vegetable oil, and last but not least I used kosher salt.  I also always in everything I bake if eggs are needed I use cage-free natural eggs.

I made this cake accompanied by fresh cut strawberries and powdered sugar for Easter, seeing that this is the season of strawberries. This was a great and fresh end to a wonderful Easter lunch. I hope that you all had a wonderful day and please enjoy!!

 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of Flour

2 tsp. Baking powder

1/2 tsp. Sea salt

1 cup Non-fat plain yogurt

1 cup Sugar

3 Cage-free Eggs

Grapefruit zest, of 1 grapefruit

1/2 tsp. Vanilla

1/2 cup Olive oil

Preheat the oven at 350°. Butter and flour a loaf pan.

Mix all dry ingredients flour, baking powder, salt. In another bowl mix together yogurt, sugar, eggs, grapefruit zest, olive oil and vanilla.

Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Pour into the pan evenly and bake for 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool.

Sift powdered sugar on top and serve with strawberries.

 

 

Low Fat Cooking – Simple Steps to Follow

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Cooking and eating is the topic of most of my days, but the thing that I like to share with you today is how to manage cooking in a healthier manner that doesn’t require you to give up on flavor and still help you stay healthy and fit. I know that the word low-fat is not so attractive to some of you; and then again to some of you it might be just what you are looking for. I love that you can actually cook and eat low-fat and all you are giving up is the extra fat that your body doesn’t need. Now, I think that your body does need fats, but there is a difference between good fats and unnecessary fats. Let’s discuss this.

For instance, I think that grilled fish and chicken is more tastier than it cooked in a pan with oil, you give up on the fat because when you grill it the fat drains, hence making it less fat and the taste is delicious.
I also love lactose-free non fat or low-fat milk vs. the whole regular milk, the flavor is pretty much the same and all I am giving up on is fat.
Also I like to make my own buttermilk at home, by using the low-fat milk and lemon, it works exactly the same way but way less fat.

This is what I mean by giving up on fat but not on flavor. Things are yummy cooked the right way, we don’t have to get scared of fat, but we can learn to select it.
For example, I love almonds and walnuts, they are high in fat but all extremely good for you, so I eat them.
I love avocados, also fat. I love to use olive oil, also fat and I do like some good old Parmigiano Reggiano and will never eat any fake low-fat version, the real one is good for you and there is no substitute in my book.

So to follow are some tips on how to cook low-fat. Enjoy!

1) Grill, broil, bake, braise, steam, poach, slow-cook, and microwave foods instead of frying them. Sautéing is ok with minimal amounts of oil (preferably extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil), or use nonstick spray.

2) Choose chicken or turkey sausages or burgers instead of pork or beef sausages or burgers.

3) Choose extra-lean meat and skinless chicken breasts, and remember to trim all visible fat from meats.

4) Substitute most meat dishes each week with fish or vegetarian meals.

5) Use one egg and two egg whites per person in your favorite egg dishes or cakes; or cut fat and cholesterol completely by using egg substitute. Or also substitute 2 egg whites for one whole egg or 3 egg whites for 2 eggs.

6) Substitute whole milk for non fat or low-fat milk.

7) Oven-fry, bake or boil potatoes instead of making or buying French fries.

8) Choose reduced fat sour cream or yogurt instead of full-fat versions for stews, dips, spreads, and dressings.

9) Replace some of the fat in baked goods with applesauce, plain nonfat yogurt or low-fat buttermilk. (to make your own buttermilk: 1 cup low-fat milk mixed with 1 tbsp. lemon juice fresh).

10) Use reduced fat or fat-free cream cheese instead of the regular version for cheesecakes.

11) Use evaporated skim milk in place of light or heavy cream in soups and sauces.

12) Use fat-free chicken broth or fat-free milk in mashed potatoes, soups, gravies and stews

13) As a healthy alternative to frying, coat meat or veggies in egg whites then use bread crumbs and bake in the oven.

14) Cook fish in parchment paper or foil to seal in the flavor and juices.

15) Instead of eating potato chips, substitute pretzels, pita chips, or raw fruits and vegetables.

16) Rinse canned foods such as tuna, beans, and vegetables before using to wash away excess sodium or oil.

17) Thickening the sauce with cornstarch instead of a traditional butter-flour mixture.

18) Season vegetables with herbs and spices rather than sauces, butter or margarine.

19) Cook with lemon juice or herbs — these add flavors to food such as vegetables without adding fat.

20) Use mustard as a sandwich spread in place of margarine or mayonnaise. Or use healthy fats such as nut butters on your toast.

 

Delicious Dairy-Free and Eggless Chocolate Cake

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I usually try to find healthy and still delicious moist desserts with the least ingredients possible so that my body doesn’t take up too long to process and digest them. Don’t get me wrong I love homemade cakes and there is nothing wrong with dairy or eggs, but I sometimes like to leave them out as so to make a healthier version; and if it tastes delicious it’s all the better. This is a great recipe if you are lactose intolerant or if you have any sort of allergies due to dairy.

This is a very simple recipe that doesn’t require much time and barely any ingredients, you should already have all of these ingredients in your cupboards so when the moment hits and you want something that tastes indulgent and sweet but healthy, you don’t have to neglect yourself of that pleasure.

My sister recently got home from work and had to bake a cake for her son and had no time to go to the grocery store so she ended up calling me I gave her this recipe and everyone loved it, now her son is 10 so to have children love it makes you know that for sure it is delicious. I hope that you enjoy it.

Ingredients:

3 cups Flour

2 cups Sugar

6 tbsp. Dark Cocoa powder

1 tsp. Salt

2 1/2 tsp. Baking powder

1 tsp. Vanilla

1/2 cup melted Margarine

2 tbsp. Vinegar

2 cups Water

Preheat your oven at 350°.

Mix all ingredients together and pour in a buttered and floured 9×12 cake pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Simple and yummy.

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Happy International Women’s Day! Indulge with this Low-Fat and Healthy Dessert.

Balanced Modern Mom's avatarBalanced Modern Mom

This is a delicious recipe that I actually found in an addition of a food and wine magazine. I tweaked it a little, but the outcome is amazing and I feel was delicious. Perfect as a snack or dessert. Exceptionally great with a spiced themed dinner, Greek, Indian or Middle-Eastern, it’s the cooling sensation that the yogurt along with the ginger leave.

Ingredients:

12 whole graham crackers

5 pieces crystallized ginger (finely chopped)

4 tablespoons butter (melted)

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

smidgen of salt

1 egg white

2 cups of non-fat greek yogurt (drained overnight)

2 tablespoons of honey

1 1/2 – 2 cups of fresh blueberries

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a circle  pie pan 9 x 9 and set aside. In the food processor, pulse the graham crackers with the sugar, salt and crystallized ginger until finely ground. Add egg white and butter and…

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Indulge with these Simple and Delicious Sinnamon Rolls

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Now, I am no sweet tooth, I am more of a salty snacker/craver. But it was snowing here and all I could think of was that I wanted to bake something that I had never baked before. Living in the United States I had the pleasure of being introduced to Cinnabon, to me its one of those sweets that I honestly think are perfect if you are planning on indulging, now the last time I had one was probably back in 2007 and it was delicious and worth every bite. I have had bites here in there of Cinnamon buns, but not a Cinnabon.  My husband is an American and a sweet tooth that loves pretty much anything sweet. So I thought that it would be nice to bake him an American dessert considering that he hasn’t had one in a while, there is not a lot of things that he misses as far as food goes because he seems to love the Italian food, but there is the occasional thing that he misses. His Mom is an excellent baker and makes all sorts of delicious desserts for him when we go to visit, she generally makes his favorite which is Cheesecake, or seven layer bars, or cookies and always has his favorite chocolate which are Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. So, I thought what better way to make him happy than with a good ol’ Cinnamon bun and have a little indulgence myself considering that the last time I had a Cinnabon was 6 years ago.

It was snowing outside so I decided that whatever I had in the house would have to work. I didn’t have yeast so I would have to make them with Baking powder, and then I didn’t have cream cheese so I would have to find another way to make the frosting….Powdered Sugar it was! They turned out delicious and they were so easy. I was so proud at my first attempt ever to make these and how great they turned out that I decided to share it with you.

Please know that I do not recommend you eat these all the time, they still are fattening but it’s winter and we sometimes have to give in to our cravings all the while knowing that we’ll have one not the whole pan. Enjoy!

Makes 16

Ingredients:

For the dough: 3 cups flour – 2 tbsp sugar  – 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder – 1/2 tsp. baking soda – 1/2 tsp salt – 1 cup milk – 1 tbsp lemon juice – 5 tbsp butter melted.

For the filling: 3/4 cup brown sugar – 1/2 cup granulated raw sugar – 1 1/2 tbsp cinnamon – 2 tbsp butter melted.

For the topping: 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar – 1 tsp vanilla – 1 1/2 tbsp milk.

Preheat the oven at 425° (220° C)
Combine all the filling ingredients in a bowl and make sure it remains grainy.

In a smaller bowl mix the milk with the lemon juice and let sit.

In a separate bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and stir together. Now pour in the milk mixed with the lemon and the melted butter, stir until well combined (not too much) knead with your hands until dough becomes a ball and slice in half.  On a lightly floured surface grab one 1/2 of the ball and begin to roll out into a rectangle; pour 1/2 of the filling evenly on the center avoiding the edges, roll into a sausage trim the edges and cut into 8 slices, repeat same with the other half.
Place in a non-stick pan, (if you want you can put Baking paper underneath and up the edges) or just put butter at the bottom. Once they are all in (they can touch) brush the tops with remainder 1 tbsp melted butter.
Bake for 15 minutes or until tops are golden.
Meanwhile prepare the icing whisk all ingredients together until slightly thick but a pourable consistency.
Pour evenly over the cinnamon rolls while still hot and enjoy.