dessert

Simple Bread Pudding Recipe

Recipes, Uncategorized

Ok friends, I’m on a “what to do with your leftover food that’s about to go bad” kick! This week I’m tackling that stale bread that’s been sitting in the kitchen with no place to go. Enter: delicious bread pudding. Here’s a recipe I frankensteined together from a few classics (links below). This recipe is simple, quick and delicious. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS: 

1/2 loaf stale bread (Italian, challah, brioche, etc)

2 cups milk (I use whole milk, but you can use any variation)

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened

4 beaten eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

Ingredients for the sauce (optional):

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

1 egg beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 cup brandy

bread pudding in the making

Let the pouring begin!

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Grease a 9-inch pan.
  3. Cut the bread into cubes and disperse evenly in the baking pan.
  4. MIX together the granulated sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, eggs and milk in a bowl. Add vanilla.  Pour over your cubed bread and let it sit for 10 minutes.
  5. In another bowl, MIX the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, butter and pecans (it should look like a crumble).
  6. Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over the top and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the custard is set (it should still be a little wobbly, but the edges should be brown).
  7. Remove from the oven.

Directions for the sauce:

  1. MIX together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter, egg and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir together until sugar is melted. Add the brandy and stir well.
  2. Pour over the bread pudding.
  3. Eat it like no one is watching.
bread pudding 3

Dude, it’s delicious.

This recipe is the love child of  Paula Deen & NY Times Cooking Section

Healthy Banana Bread Recipe

Recipes, Uncategorized

Need something to do with those bananas that have pretty much gone bad? Well, look no further! This quick, easy and healthy recipe is your answer. I was skeptical at first because banana bread is hard to master, but I promise this one is worth it. Enjoy!

 

Prep time:  10 minutes / Cook time:  55 minutes / Total time:  1 hour 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

⅓ cup melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup honey or maple syrup

2 eggs

1 cup mashed bananas (about 2½ medium or 2 large bananas)

¼ cup milk of choice or water

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more to swirl on top

1¾ cups whole wheat flour or coconut flour

Optional: ½ cup mix-ins like chopped walnuts or pecans, chocolate chips, raisins, chopped dried fruit, fresh banana slices, Nutella, etc. Go crazy!

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees (165 degrees Celsius) and grease a 9×5-inch baking pan.
  2. Melt your OIL (either coconut or EVOO)
  3. MIX: In a large bowl, whisk together the oil and honey.
  4. Add the eggs and beat well, then whisk in the mashed bananas and milk.
  5. Add the baking soda, vanilla, salt and cinnamon, and whisk to blend.
  6. Add the flour (it might be lumpy and that’s ok!)
  7. Add any of your optional mix-ins.
  8. Pour the batter into your greased pan.
  9. BAKE: for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Due to differing oven temperatures, times will vary. Mine was done in 45 minutes.
  10. Let the bread cool in the baking pan for 10 minutes. Then eat up!
banana bread 1.jpg

Yummy yummy in your tummy

 

Gluten Free, No Bake Cheesecake Recipe

Recipes

Long time no see, my friends! As a welcome back, I’m sharing this super duper easy gluten free, no bake cheesecake that I Frankenstein’d together. Since so many people are gluten free these days, I figured it was time to make the sweet stuff accessible to everyone so I don’t feel like a cow consuming all of it by myself we can all enjoy the sweet life together! Hope you like it:

INGREDIENTS:

For the Crust: 

2 cups almond meal

4 TBSP butter

2 TBSP brown sugar

For the Filling:

2 8oz. packages cream cheese

1 14oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 tsp. vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS: 

For the crust:

1. In a bowl, combine the almond meal, butter and brown sugar. Stir well until combined.

2. Press the crumb mixture into a 9-inch dish. Don’t forget to press up along the sides, too.

3. Place in the fridge while you make the filling.

For the filling: 

1. With an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Slowly fold in the sweetened condensed milk, followed by the lemon juice and vanilla. Beat everything until smooth.

2. Pour the filling into the crust. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

3. Because this is a basic cheesecake, you can add toppings of your choice. I am Argentinean, so my go-to is dulce de leche. I drizzled this one with a little dulce de leche and pecans. I also made a basic one (featured in the image above).

Dulce De Leche + Pecans

Dulce De Leche + Pecans

Raw Almond Joy Bars (Paleo, Vegan)

Recipes

Sometimes you feel like a nut. Sometimes you don’t. Almond Joy’s got nuts. Mounds don’t. But, who cares about Mounds because Almond Joys are where its at. Truth: I would weight 9million pounds if I satisfied my craving for Almond Joys every time I had one. Plus, I believe that what we eat strongly affects our energy, our mood and our health. So, I’m in a standoff with myself. Can I make a delicious treat and eat it too? The answer is: YES! Enter, this super recipe. Mind. Blown. It’s everything we love about sweet treats, but, more importantly, every ingredient nourishes your body. Enjoy!

NO-BAKE ALMOND JOY BARS (VEGAN, PALEO)
Serves: 15
INGREDIENTS
Crust:
  • 1 cup almond meal
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil (I use this)
  • ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
  • Pinch of salt
Coconut Filling:
  • 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
  • 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup (I use this)
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1 tablespoon water
Chocolate Topping:
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
  • ¼ cup melted coconut oil
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup (at room temperature)
INSTRUCTIONS
  1. Line a standard loaf pan with parchment paper and set it aside. To prepare the crust, combine the almond meal, maple syrup, coconut oil, almond extract, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir well until a sticky dough is formed. Press it evenly into the bottom of the lined loaf pan, and set aside.
  2. To prepare the coconut filling, combine all of the filling ingredients in the mixing bowl and stir well. Spread the coconut mixture over the crust, then use a spatula to smooth the top. Set aside.
  3. To prepare the chocolate topping, combine all of the ingredients in the mixing bowl and use a whisk to create a silky smooth chocolate sauce. Pour the chocolate sauce over the top of the coconut layer and smooth the top with a spatula. Place the pan in the freezer for one to two hours (or until firm).
  4. Pull on the parchment paper to remove the solid bar from the pan, then slice into bars and serve directly from the freezer. These bars will soften fairly quickly if left at room temperature, so them chilled until you are ready to stuff your face serve your guests.
vegan-almond-joy5
Recipe Cred: The Detoxinista