dairy free pumpkin muffins

From a great website: www.eatbelive.wordpress.com

Moira says these are moist, low in sugar and make a great afternoon snack or breakfast addition. I made 12 and ate 6 :) alex and ava shared the others.

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup oil (canola or olive)

2 eggs

3/4 cup pumpkin puree (use 100% pure pumpkin puree- unsweetened)

1/4 cup water

1 1/2 cup flour (all purpose, whole-grain, whateva you want)

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (i used the nut,wheat,egg,dairy free)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a 12-cup muffin pan or 24-cup mini muffin pan or use cups. Whisk together the first 5 ingredients in small bowl. Blend together flour, powder, soda, spices in med bowl. Add wet mixture and stir until just blended. Fold in nuts & chips. Spoon into pan. Bake 20-25 min Enjoy!

chocolate bowls

This week at the beach Ava and I had the chance to hang out with some pretty awesome ladies who are on staff with Young Life across SC & Charlotte. A few of them were assigned to our meals- all very yummy and I had to share this one:

Dessert!!! Chocolate bowls!
I found a recipe on this website: The Wicked Noodle!

We made icecream sundaes in ours!
Enjoy!

microwave cake- i know, weirdest post i'll ever make

I am a little embarrassed to even be putting this up, but i'm making it right now for the second time and there's a chance I might make it again and I don't want to lose the recipe. Especially since I googled my way around and found it on www.elder-one-stop.com= Your one-stop Resource for elderly issues & Seniors. hahah- i was afraid i would forget the website name.

I made it one night for alex when he really wanted a dessert and we had next to nothing but whole wheat pastry flour, butterscotch chips & carob powder. I'm sure i could have found a recipe a little healthier, but this is what i tried and alex liked it!

Microwave Cake

by Marta

This extra rich, natural microwave cake is an easy 5 minute cake-for-one recipe, made in a mug...with options.

This is perfect for both elderly and kids to make, it's so easy. Great when you're in a hurry or just want a quick but home-made tasting treat. Make sure you use a microwavable mug!

Ingredients
4 Tablespoons of flour (healthy option: whole wheat pastry flour- i used this)
4 Tablespoons sugar (or splenda they said)
2 Tablespoons coco (or try carob powder- i used this)
Pinch of salt (optional)
1 egg
3 Tablespoons of oil
2 Tablespoons of milk
About 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 Tablespoons chocolate chips (healthy option: carob chips)- i used butterscotch
1 Tablespoon dried fruit (optional)- didn't do this

Put the dry ingredients into a microwavable mug. Mix well.
Next, add in the egg and mix together thoroughly.
Then add in the milk, oil and vanilla, mixing well.
Add in the chocolate chips and dried fruit, if using.
Give it one final mix.

To bake your microwave cake, just put your mug into the microwave.
Cook for about 3 minutes at 1000 watts.
NOTE: The cake will rise over the top! This is normal.
Let it cool before eating. You can dump the mug upside down and put the cake on a plate or in a bowl. This may also be enough for 2 people depending on their appetites, especially if you add ice cream!
FEEL FREE TO ADD ICING TOO!

YL Camp's BIG COOKIE!!!

My FAVORITE dessert at a week of YoungLife Summer Camp is THE BIG COOKIE! It's a giant skillet baked cookie with icecream on top. Each table gets one and everyone dives in! (or for germaphobes, you can scoup some out on your own plate).

Skillet-Baked Cookie

Cindy Young (Martha Stewart’s Living Dessert of the month for July 2002)

2 c. all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

¾ c. unsalted butter softened

½ c. sugar

¾ c. packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1-½ mixed milk and semi-sweet chocolate chips (about 9 oz.)

1. Preheat oven: 350 degrees

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes (use the paddle attachment on an electric mixer). Add egg and vanilla; mix until they are fully incorporated. Add flour mixture and beat until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

3. Transfer dough to a 10 inch ovenproof skillet. Press the dough, flattening to cover the bottom of the pan. Bake until edges are brown and the top is golden, 35-40 minutes. Do not over bake. It will continue to cook for a few minutes out of the oven.

4. Cool on a wire rack for 15 to 20 minutes. Cut into 8 wedges. Serve warm. Top with vanilla ice cream and hot caramel sauce.