Chocolate Mug Cake with Healthy Frosting

I had a serious craving for chocolate today, so I decided to look for something to make. Obviously Chocolate Covered Katie was the first place I looked.  

I’ve seen recipes for mug cakes all over the place, but this is the first one I’ve tried.  This One Minute Chocolate Cake was easy and so delicious!

Here it is:

• 1 tablespoon plus 2 tsp cocoa powder
• 3 tablespoons spelt flour (or white, or Arrowhead Mills gf)
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 tsp sugar or evaporated cane juice (edit: xylitol works as well)
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 stevia packet (or 1 tablespoon more sugar)
• 2-3 tsp coconut oil or vegetable oil (Edit: many commenters have said it still tastes good if you sub applesauce or mashed banana. But I can’t personally vouch for the results if you make that substitution.)
• 3 tablespoons milk of choice (I used almond milk)
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Mug cake recipe: Combine dry ingredients and mix very, very well. Add liquid, stir, then transfer to a little dish, ramekin, or even a coffee mug. Microwave 30-40 seconds. If you don’t want to eat it straight out of the dish, be sure to spray your dish first (and then wait for it to cool before trying to remove it).

* I made my cake directly in the mug, and then put it on a plate – remember to use cooking spray if you do this!

 

The Chocolate Covered Katie page links to a Reeses Pieces Fudge Frosting that I made to top my little cake.  

 

• 1/4 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)
• 4-8 tsp pure maple syrup (I used agave syrup)
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 4 tsp milk of choice (or more for thinner frosting)
• 3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
• optional: handful of chocolate chips (the “pieces”)

Blend everything (including chips, if using) in a small food processor or Magic Bullet. If you have a bigger processor, it might be best to double the recipe so everything blends more smoothly. Best to store uneaten frosting covered in the fridge.

Yum! I added a few chocolate chips and raspberries for a little extra flavor (and it made it look cuter).  

The cake is super rich, and there is no way I could have eaten more than that little mug size!  The cake on its own has about 205 calories with oil (140 if you use a substitute), 5.5g protein, and 6.5g fiber.  The frosting has about 55 calories per 15g serving. 

This is definitely worth a try! Let me know what you think!

🙂

A.G.

A little summer snack.

Try this!

 

Cut a banana into chunks and freeze for 30-60 minutes.

Take it out and mash it up in a bowl. 

Add a spoonful of your fave nut butter (I chose almond butter!)

Add a few dark chocolate chips.

Mix together, and enjoy!!

 

 

Yay! Healthy Brownies!

Happy Monday!

I was seriously craving chocolate on this rainy day, and I found the perfect recipe! Chocolate-covered Katie’s Fudge Daddy Brownies were the perfect chocolaty treat to tame my unruly sweet tooth.

When I first saw the recipe, I was intrigued to say the least.  Tofu and applesauce?  Um, ew. As I was blending the ingredients, I started to worry about the outcome even more, but oh my goodness, people.  These brownies are heavenly.

Here’s the recipe:

Fudge Daddy Brownies

(Makes 8 brownies)

• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup ww pastry flour (or white, or you can try spelt or gluten-free option)
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tbsp soft tofu or mori-nu firm or lite firm
• 1/3 cup applesauce (use only 1/4 cup if using 3tbsp oil)
• 1 to 3 tbsp oil (I used Coconut oil, but Conola can be used.)
• 2 tbsp milk of choice
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• optional: chocolate chips!

Combine dry ingredients, and mix very well. In a blender, combine wet ingredients and blend until smooth.  Pour wet over dry and stir, then pour into a 4×6 oiled pan (or double the recipe and use an 8×8). Cook for 12-18 minutes at 325 F. (chocolatecoveredkatie.com)

*I doubled the recipe and kept them in the oven for about 20 minutes. I used a toothpick to see if they were cooked all the way!

These rich little brownies have approximately 100 calories and 2g of fat a piece.  They are perfect to share with friends (and they’ll never guess what they’re made of!)

For more nutritional info click here.

Let me know what you think, along with other crazy recipes to try!

Have a happy day!

A.G.

HEL-LO Healthy Mounds Bars!

I have died and gone to chocolate-covered heaven.  

My friend Jeanine and I needed something to keep us busy on this rainy day, so we decided to find something to make.  I found a recipe for Healthy Mounds Bars from Chocolate Covered Katie, and it is so easy and so, so good. 

Here’s the recipe:

• 1 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened) (80g)
• 3 1/2 to 4 tbsp agave or pure maple syrup (48g) (or 3 tbsp water and 2-3 nunaturals stevia packs)
• 2 tbsp virgin coconut oil (20g) (See nutrition info link below, for all substitution notes on this recipe.)
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup plus 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder (22g)
• a few stevia drops, or up to 1 1/2 tsp pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup liquid virgin coconut oil (Or omit these last three ingredients and simply melt 2/3 cup chocolate chips instead.) (57g)

*I melted dark chocolate chunks instead of the cocoa powder/Stevia/coconut oil mix.

 

Combine first 5 ingredients in a food processor. (You can try to mix by hand if you don’t have a food processor, but the dough won’t stick together as well.) Press the filling into the bottoms of mini muffin cups. (Press HARD!) Freeze at least 25 minutes. Meanwhile, make the chocolate coating by mixing the last three ingredients together to make a thin sauce. Line a tray with wax or parchment paper, then pop out the now-hardened coconut treats and coat in chocolate. Immediately put them in the fridge or freezer, as coconut oil melts when warm. These last at least a week. (chocolatecoveredkatie.com)

 

Chocolate-Covered Katie has so many sweet and healthy recipes ranging from banana-split pancakes to healthy Twix bars.  Her recipes are lower in cholesterol and sugar, and higher in fiber and vitamins.  Katie explains, “My aim isn’t for people to say, ‘This is good… for a healthy dessert recipe.’ I want them to say, ‘This is good. Period.’

 

Maybe her Birthday Cake Reeses are next on my recipe to-do list?

 

Enjoy!

A.G.

My Grilled Cheese Obsession

I’m completely obsessed with grilled cheese.  I could eat it all day every day.  Unfortunately its not the healthiest of foods, so I decided to look for some different options.  I found veggie grilled cheese, tomato pesto grilled cheese, and even a blueberry coconut grilled cheese (check out An Ode to Grilled Cheese!), but when I found the idea for pear grilled cheese, I knew I had to try it.

Inspired by my pear-loving friend Chad Hensley (check out his blog!) and our shared love for all things grilled cheese, this sandwich was simple and delicious.

I used whole grain bread, sharp cheddar cheese, and a few pear slices.  According to My Fitness Pal, the sandwich has about 14g protein and 270 calories.  And you know what?  It tasted SO much better than any greasy, fried, made-in-a-bar grilled cheese!

I may have found a new obsession…

Let me know what your food obsessions are along with any healthier, clean options!

Happy eating!

A.G.

Blueberry Vanilla Protein Pancakes

Hello Clean-Eaters!

I just made some amazing protein pancakes that were completely clean!

 

I found this easy (and clean!) recipe on designerwhey.com. 

Ingredients

– ½ scoop Vanilla Whey Protein Powder

– 1 large egg

– 1 medium banana, mashed

– 1/3 cup of fresh blueberries

– ¼ teaspoon baking powder

– 2 tablespoons flour (I used regular flour, but gluten free, whole wheat, or almond flour can be used)

– ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

*I added 1 tablespoon of flax seed for some extra Omega-3s and fiber!

 

Directions

1. Thoroughly mix all ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. It should be a little thinner than normal pancake batter.
2. Heat a pan to medium heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Using a spoon, pour batter onto pan. You’ll want each pancake to have about 2 tablespoons of batter.
4. Let cook for about a minute and a half. Then flip and cook for an additional minute.

*My batter seemed to stick to the pan easily, so I sprayed the pan between each pancake. 

(Recipe courtesy of Lee from Fit Foodie Finds!)

 

I topped my pancakes with a syrup made of fresh strawberries, a pinch of Stevia, and a little water (blended in my Magic Bullet), along with some nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt. 

 

These pancakes are a great start to your day with around 3g of protein and only 54 calories per serving! (These results are based on the pancakes alone – without the syrup or yogurt.)

Give them a try and let me know what you think!  

 

Happy eating!

A.G.

Blogilates

Looking for a fun and easy way to work out at home? Blogilates.com is my new favorite site for Pilates and fitness videos!

Instructor Cassey Ho is young, vibrant, and fun to watch as she leads different videos to tighten your abs, buns, and thighs along with cardio to burn calories and fat.  She pairs popular music with difficult moves that leave me drenched by the end.

The videos are easy to follow and make your muscles seriously burn.  Cassey even makes calendars to follow in order to get the best out of your workout. (I’m currently making my way through the Beginners Calendar.)

Cassey just started a new video series called “Cheap Clean Eats” witch (you guessed it) provides cheap recipes for “clean” meals.  I’ve tried her veggie pizza along with a recipe for vanilla protein pancakes, and they are so good.

Give the workouts and recipes a try and let me know what you think.  If you’ve got a favorite site or favorite recipes, leave a comment below and let me know!

Happy clean eating!

A.G.

Welcome!

Hello and welcome to my new blog devoted to all things healthy and clean!  

According to Livestrong.com, “Clean eating is based on the idea that the best way to eat is to abundantly enjoy whole foods — that is, foods as close to their natural state.”  Fruits and veggies, lean proteins, and whole grains are great “clean” options. 

 

My goal is to learn new recipes and share them with all of you.  I love to find new clean-eating blogs and learn about healthy alternatives to include in my daily meals. 

I hope to share new things with you, and hope you’ll share ideas with me as well!

Thanks for reading, and let’s start eating clean!

 

XOXO,

A.G.