Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

These little cuties are a snap to put together-I had them ready before the oven even preheated. These may taste like a big, sweet indulgence, but they are actually pretty healthy. Try them warm, so the chocolate chips are all melty. You could make them rise more by adding more flour and baking powder, but I personally like the moistness and density of these just the way they are.

Ingredients (makes 24):

3 very ripe bananas

1 (5.3 or so ounce) container vanilla yogurt (fat free is fine)

½ cup applesauce

½ egg substitute (like Egg Beaters®)

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon butter flavoring (optional)

1 cup flour (or gluten free flour blend)

1/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons ground flax seed

Pinch of salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½  teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup chocolate chips (plus a few more to sprinkle on top of those that you don’t think got enough chocolate chip love)

Directions:

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray two regular sized muffin pans liberally with cooking spray and set aside.

With an electric mixer, combine all the wet ingredients (bananas, yogurt, applesauce, egg substitute, vanilla and butter flavoring (if using)) until thoroughly combined.

In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, flax seed, salt, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg and cinnamon).

Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and stir until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and ladle into the prepared muffin tins, filling each cup about 2/3 full.

Bake for about 25 minutes or until the tops are lightly browned and the edges start to pull inwards.

Let cool for 15 minutes. 

Funfetti® Cake Dough Protein Dip

I was in the mood for something like a sugar cookie or vanilla cake, but I want to be a little bit healthier. I found recipes for edible cake dough bites and dips, but they all used lots of butter, cream or even mashed beans. I wanted something very creamy and flavorless for the base, so I chose tofu and it worked wonderfully. Trust me, nobody will guess this is made with tofu. Also, light tofu has lots of protein and very little fat. Tip: if you make this ahead, don’t add the sprinkles until you are ready to serve-the colors can run a bit. PS-this isn't a huge bowl of dip. I just mistakenly bought the mini graham bears. 

Ingredients:

½ of a 16 ounce package of light, soft, silken tofu

1 cup Funfetti® cake mix

1 scoop (about 3 Tablespoons) vanilla protein powder

¼ teaspoon butter flavoring (optional)

1 Tablespoon almond milk

2 Tablespoons sprinkles

Directions:

Using an electric mixer, combine the tofu, cake mix, protein powder, butter flavoring (if using) and almond milk.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Stir in the sprinkles and place in a bowl. Serve with graham bears, pretzels, apple slices, whatever.

Marsala Mushroom Baked Ravioli

I woke up the other day thinking about something like this—I love mushrooms with Marsala and I love an easy appetizer that looks elegant. You can make the filling a day ahead if you wish and just assemble and bake right before guests arrive.

Ingredients (makes about 25):

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 package (about 10 ounces) mushrooms, chopped fine

1 Tablespoon butter

1 shallot, chopped fine

1 garlic clove, minced

4 ounces cream cheese

1 ½ Tablespoons Marsala wine

½ to 1 teaspoon salt (you choose the salt level)

¼ teaspoon pepper

½ teaspoon thyme

50 won ton wrappers (from a 12 ounce, 60 wrapper package)

½ cup warm water

Shredded parmesan and fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat and add the chopped mushrooms. Cook, stirring often, for about seven minutes, or until the mushrooms give up their liquid and the liquid evaporates.

Add the butter to the skillet and continue cooking the mushrooms until they are brown and fragrant, about two minutes.

Add the shallots and garlic and cook for one minute more. Remove from heat.

Toss the mushroom mixture into a bowl and stir in the cream cheese, Marsala, salt, pepper and thyme.

Chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Lay half of the won ton wrappers on the prepared baking sheets. Put one heaping teaspoon of the mushroom mixture in the center of the wrappers. Dip your finger in the warm water and run your finger around the edge of the filled wrappers to help create a seal. Top with the remaining won ton wrappers and press the edges to get a firm seal.

Bake for 18-20 minutes-mine were in for 19. Remove, let cool slightly, and garnish with shredded parmesan and fresh parsley if desired. 

Cheddar-Bacon-Horseradish Dip

I can’t believe I haven’t posted this dip before. It is one of my family’s favorite things. I think the name says enough, so I’ll just stop right here.

Ingredients:

½ pound of bacon

1/3 cup chopped onion

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup sour cream

¼ cup horseradish

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Chopped green onions  and additional crumbled bacon for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp. Drain the bacon on a paper towel lined plate and drain off all but 1 Tablespoon of the drippings.

Add the chopped onion to the drippings in the skillet and cook until just translucent. Let cool slightly.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the mayo, sour cream, horseradish and cheddar cheese. Crumble the bacon and throw that into the bowl along with the cooked onions.

This dip is great right after it is made, warmed up or even cold.

Corn chips seem to be the preferred dipper, by the way. 

Easy Chicken Noodle Casserole

Whether it is baked ziti, shepherd’s pie, lasagna or even homemade mac and cheese, casseroles are one of the most comforting foods around. This chicken noodle casserole is easy, feeds a crowd and tastes amazing. Note: I just put a really large skinless, boneless chicken breast and two skinless, boneless chicken thighs in a pot with a box of chicken stock and poached them for 20 minutes, which gave me both the chicken and the stock, but a store bought rotisserie chicken and boxed broth will cut down on prep time.

Ingredients:

1 can (10.5 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup

1 can (10.5 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup (or can sub another can of cream of chicken)

½ cup sour cream

1 cup milk

1 cup chicken stock

1 heaping teaspoon poultry seasoning

Freshly cracked black pepper, optional

1 (10 ounce) package of frozen mixed vegetables (you don’t even need to thaw)

6 ounces dry, wide egg noodles, cooked according to package directions and drained

3 cups cooked, diced chicken

¼ cup butter, melted

1 sleeve of round, buttery crackers (about 28 crackers), crushed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 2 ½ or 3 quart baking dish (a 13 by 9 inch pan will work just fine) with cooking spray, place it on a cookie sheet (to prevent spill over) and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the soups, sour cream, milk, chicken stock and poultry seasoning (as well as black pepper, if using). Stir in the mixed vegetables, cooked and drained egg noodles and diced chicken. Pour this mixture into your prepared baking dish.

Combine the melted butter and crushed crackers and spread over the top of the casserole.

Bake on the middle oven rack for 35 minutes or until the top is golden and the sides are bubbling.

Pumpkin Pudding Cake

Wow. This not-so-sweet dessert is like a cross between pumpkin pie, pudding, and soufflé. The flavor of pumpkin and spices combine so well with the buttery goodness of the cake mix—I think you might even like this light treat as much as I do.

Ingredients:

2 eggs, separated—whites in one mixing bowl, yolks in another

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree

1 cup milk

2 Tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup cake mix (I used Duncan Hines® Butter Golden cake mix)

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon allspice

¼ teaspoon cloves

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Whipped cream for topping

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a casserole or deep pie dish (mine is a 9 inch plate, 2 inches deep) with cooking spray and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, pumpkin puree, milk, melted butter, vanilla, cake mix and the spices.

Whip the egg whites until soft peaks form and then fold them into the pumpkin mixture.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes, or until the top appears dry (the middle will still jiggle). Let cool for 15 minutes and then spoon out into individual bowls. Top with whipped cream

Caramelized Butternut Squash Soup

Yum If velvet had a taste, this would be it. This full-bodied soup hits you with flavor and then melts on your tongue. I know I’m waxing poetic here, but this soup is really that good and I’m not typically a creamy soup kind of woman. Caramelizing the squash, onions and carrots in the oven before making this soup give it an incredible depth of flavor and really highlights the sweetness of the vegetables. To balance the sweetness, I added the bite of ginger and/or black pepper (I used both) plus salt and sage. The addition of ginger and nutmeg give warmth and a bit of mild heat to this rich, velvety soup.

Ingredients:

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch pieces (about 4 ½ to 5 cups of chunked flesh)

2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

1 medium onion, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons kosher salt

3 cups water

1 vegetable bouillon cube

1 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)

1 teaspoon sage

½ teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon dried thyme

Freshly grated nutmeg and/or black pepper to taste

¼ teaspoon xanthan gum (optional, but it makes everything blend together better)

½ cup fat free half and half (or coconut milk)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the diced butternut squash on one sheet and the onions and carrots on the other. Drizzle the olive oil and 2 teaspoons kosher salt over all the veggies and toss, trying to lay everything in a single layer.

Put both baking sheets in the oven and cook for 30 minutes. Stir and place back in the oven for another 30 minutes (if the onions and carrots are turning dark, don’t put them back in for the last 30 minutes).

Place all the roasted veggies in a Dutch oven or large pot and add the water, bouillon cube, salt, sage, ginger, thyme, nutmeg/black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 30 minutes.

Add in the xanthan gum and half and half, then either puree in batches in a blender (center out, but covered with a towel) or use an immersion blend to thoroughly combine the soup.

Ladle into bowls and serve hot.