Double chocolate chip brownies

Double chocolate chip toasted coconut pecan brownies.

Semi homemade brownies at there finest!

(It's a very grey day here so the lighting is not the best)

I used a box of double chocolate chip brownie mix.

Topped with a delicious frosting! I toasted some un sweetened coconut under the broiler for 2 min., tossed and toasted for another 2 min. Then I toasted some crushed up pecans and mixed both in with some vanilla frosting and spread it on top of the brownies, yum.

The frosting is amazing! Semi homemade is the way to go sometimes. You get all the ease and convenience from the box, but then you can switch up the recipe to make it your own unique creation.

These will be sent off to a friend to enjoy, and boy are they delicious!

Devil dog cake

Pumpkins have always been my favorite. From decorative pumpkins, to actual pumpkins, and pumpkin flavored foods.

This little pumpkin was the inspiration behind the "best ever chocolate cake".

I just learned recently about a snack cake called a devil dog. What is a devil dog you ask? Well it's a chocolate snack cake with a whip cream frosting inside. And of course it's shaped like a hot dog.

When I ran across a recipe for a devil dog cake on the pioneer woman's website I knew it was a sign I must make this. For the man who's favorite #1 treat is a devil dog.

You can find the devil dog recipe here including the frosting.

I decided that a hot dog shaped cake WAS NOT an option. I needed something much cuter then that. So after baking the sheet cake I cut it in half. Frosted one half, topped it with the other half, and then free hand cut out a shape of a pumpkin. Once it was cut out I ditched the scrapes for snacking later and wallah. I had a pumpkin shaped devil dog cake. Please don't judge my pumpkin shape. I swear it's better in person, and I guess it has some character, right?

I got so excited about the end product and getting it ready for shipping that I forgot a final picture. I shipped this cake that I was so proud of across the country to New York city. For it to be enjoyed by someone special! And enjoyed it was!

Marrionberry cobbler

When it's the end of summer and you have an abundance of blackberries sitting in your fridge, what else should you make but cobbler.

I haven't had cobbler in such a long time, years. I tend to be more inclined to make a crisp over a cobbler. I mean a crisp has a crunchy oat topping, yum and is so easy to make. And a cobbler is much more complicated.

That was until I made this cobbler. It was so easy and very delicious, as well as not too sweet.

I made this mixed fruit cobbler recipe from cooking light. I used spelt flour for the filling and the topping instead of the whole wheat and white flour. I also cut the sugar in the filling down from 1 and 1/4 cups sugar to just 1/4 cup of sugar. Even with a 1/4 cup of sugar it was slightly too sweet. Thank goodness I didn't use 1 and 1/4 cups sugar, oh my! I also used all marionberries for the fruit filling.

This cobbler was amazing and perfect for summer, and so easy to make. Move over crisp you have some competition from the cobbler.

Festive dessert

This morning I made a trip to the farmers market. I've been hitting the farmers markets twice a week picking up whatever is in season. Today I grabbed some organic cherries and raspberries. The raspberries are a little small since it's the start of the season. But they are still very tasty.

I picked up the berries for one purpose and that was to make a delicious, healthy, and festive summertime dessert to serve at a 4th of July BBQ.

Almond short cakes

Mix together in a bowl the dry ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup spelt flour

1/4 cup evaporated cane juice

1 TB. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

dash salt and cinnamon

In a separate bowl mix the wet ingredients:

3/4 cup applesauce

1/2 cup almond milk

2 TB. melted Earth balance butter

1 TB. vanilla or even better 1 vanilla bean

Combine wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until combined. On a non stick coated baking sheet make giant drops of dough. Sprinkle over the top raw sliced almonds and a sprinkle of raw sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 min.

Served with a heaping scoop of berries.

You could make it even better and serve a scoop of vanilla bean frozen yogurt or ice cream on top.

This would be the perfect dessert for a BBQ. It would be easy to make and serve for a small or even a large group.

Snacky dessert

I was feel a little snacky hungry come dinner time, since we had lunch around 2pm today.

I wanted something that was a snack and a dessert. I also wanted to try one of my newest cereals, which I might add is amazing. I don't usually like the other Kashi GoLean cereal's, but this mixed berry crisp is so good.

I combined three different cereals along with, 1/4 tsp. chia seeds, 1/2 of a diced organic local peach, from my produce delivery, and a scoop of Julies vanilla bean frozen yogurt. Oh yes I did! I also added a few splashes of almond milk.

Let's just say, best idea ever. It's like a crispy cold peach crisp.

Who wants brownies???

While I was at the grocery store today I decided to pickup some Kodiak Cake brownies. I have been wanting to make these for a while but they are always so expensive. Today they were on sale and brownies are Jeff's favorite treat.

I made the recipe per instructions except substituting applesauce for the butter.

I love the companies philosophy. They want to make products how they used to be made. With all natural ingredients and whole grains.

These brownies are made with 100% whole wheat flour and cane juice, and there are no additives or preservatives used.

I had a bite and they are the BEST brownies ever. I'm saving them for dessert later. They are worth the expensive price. I also have a box of their whole wheat pancake mix that I want to try out one of these weekends. I think they also make a whole wheat cookie mix. Now I will be on the hunt for that.

So run and get these and don't think twice about the price, they are that good.

Electrolux #splits: Banana split

I made my very own banana split. I'm not the biggest fan of banana splits and I haven't had one since I was little. But tonight I wanted to do my part for ovarian cancer.

Foodbuzz is donating $50.00 for every featured publisher who posts a picture of a banana split. My mom was diagnosed with ovarian cancer about two year's ago. She has been in remission for sometime now, but I would love for them to find a cure for all forms of cancer. So tonight I was happy to do my part and have some dessert while doing it to help raise money.

You can also donate or find more info from Kelly Ripa who has partnered with Foodbuzz on this project.

My banana split was topped with chocolate and vanilla bean frozen yogurt, melted peanut butter, dark chocolate chips, raspberries, blackberries, sliced almonds, and coconut.

This is one loaded banana split I'll probably just have a few bites and enjoy.

Healthy dessert soup

Dessert soup
(serving for two)
2 frozen banana's
1/2 a carton Julies chocolate frozen yogurt
1/4 cup raspberries
splash soymilk
blend together until smooth

I wish it would have been just a little thicker and maybe more raspberry flavor and less banana.

Sweet treat

This is a definite good end to the day, a refreshing treat on a hot day. Frozen yogurt is a must during Project stay cool and healthy. I always limit desserts to just the weekends and not every weekend. That way it's a treat like it should be, but still on the healthy side. I couldn't just settle on one flavor, I had to have little of both. Jeff and I each had a little bowl of our favorite frozen yogurt.

Friday night treat

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream. Tonight I get to enjoy some
Julie's frozen yogurt.

I had a scoop of vanilla bean and a scoop of chocolate, the perfect combination. Julie's is by far the best frozen yogurt. It's usually sold at health food stores and I get mine at Whole Foods. So if you haven't tried it you need to.

Dessert to share with friends

I made a quick, easy, and healthy dessert for tonight.

Peanut butter oat bars

1 1/2 cups oats
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup raw honey
1/2 cup all natural peanut butter (I used Tj's pb with flax seeds)
1 egg
mix together
spread in a non stick coated pan
1 topped half of the mix with some dark chocolate chips
bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 min.

Perfect summer dessert

And the farmers market eats continues.

Tonight we had dessert.
Some Julies all natural non fat frozen yogurt, the best frozen yogurt ever. It's so smooth and creamy, I highly recommend it. I had some of the chocolate and some of the vanilla bean, topped with sliced local strawberries.
Such a perfect summer dessert.

Chocolate mint dessert

Tonight I tried some frozen yogurt that a friend suggested to me. It's pretty good, not as good as Julie's frozen yogurt. It was a little fake tasting with the mint and it did have a couple strange ingredients. I think I will stick with my Julie's.

Dessert is the best

It's Friday night so I get to have a bowl of my favorite frozen yogurt. I'm also loving the fact that it's been on sale for a steal of a price.

Frozen yogurt night

Julie's Frozen yogurt
I had some of the vanilla bean and some of the chocolate. It was delicious, this is my favorite frozen yogurt. I got a little to excited and dished up too much. I ended up not eating it all and putting some back.

Friday night dessert

I had my favorite frozen yogurt tonight. I had a scoop of the chocolate, and a scoop of the vanilla bean. I'm a chocolate kind of girl, but the vanilla been is actually my favorite.

Melty and delicious

Tj's chocolate soy ice cream with some warmed up marionberries, a sprinkle of unsweetened coconut, and a few dark chocolate chip.

And ice cream

And what's birthday cake without ice cream, boring that's what it is. We had our favorite low fat frozen yogurt, the creamiest best frozen yogurt you'll ever find.