Foodie Friday: Chocolate Coconut Brownie Bites

These little gems come courtesy from about a year ago when I was doing a vegan cleanse. About a week into the cleanse, I found myself consumed with a crazy craving for something, anything sweet and comforting. With a little search around Google, I stumbled across the recipe [can't remember where I found the original] for brownie bites and never turned back! After a couple of tweaks, I ended up with these delish chocolate coconut brownie bites. Try to control yourselves with 24 of these babies in your face!

**********

Chocolate Coconut Brownie Bites

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Yields: 24 mini bites

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup + 2 T buckwheat flower
• 1/2 cup + 2 T brown rice flower
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup agave nectar
• 1/2 cup apple sauce
• 1/4 cup coconut oil 
• 1/8 t baking soda
• 1/2 t salt
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks

Directions:

Mix all dry ingredients together and set aside. Mix all wet ingredients together, and then combine with dry. Using a spoon (or ice cream scoop), dollop batter into mini cup cake liners. Cook for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from pan and let cool slightly. Enjoy!

[Tip: I smeared a little almond butter on them while still warm and they were oh so amazing!]

**********

Foodie Friday: Oatmeal Cookies

With an anniversary dedication and being so busy last Friday, it's been a few weeks since we last had a Foodie Friday post. Fear not, though, I have a great treat to share with y'all today! Nothing will ever compare to my love for a Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pie, but when looking for something on the healthier side, these cookies do the trick!

**********

Healthy Banana Oatmeal Cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Yields: 12-15 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 cup raw walnut pieces
• 1/4 cup raw almond slivers
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup skim milk
• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:

Combine and stir all ingredients together, until mixed well. Roll into ball in hand. (yes, this will be a sticky mess) and flatten on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool slightly before removing from pan. Enjoy!

**********

Foodie Friday: Chocolate Chip Reeses Blondies

If you're in the market for a big, fluffy chocolate chip cookie bar, you're in luck! I made these blondies a while back before I really knew what blondies were. To be honest, I still don't really know. I'm chalking them up to something like a chocolate chip cookie... bar. Whatever they may be, they surely are delicious!

**********

Chocolate Chip Reeses Blondies

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes

Yields: 16-24 servings [depending on what size you cut them]

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 cup tightly packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/8 tsp. baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup Reeses peanut butter chips

Directions:

Whisk together melted butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla, and whisk until combined. Mix in remaining ingredients and whisk thoroughly. Pour batter into 9x11 glass pan and bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool and enjoy!

**********

Foodie Friday: Cheesy Potatoes

Some may call them scalloped, some may call them cheesy taters... I call 'em freaking fantastic! This recipe is one that's been passed down from my Mema, to my mom, and now to me. To be honest, I'm not sure if this is even the exact way they make them, but it's how I remember it and quite frankly, I make them pretty dang good.

PS- I keep it simple. There really is no way to screw these up.

**********

Cheesy Potatoes

Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes

Yields: 10 servings

Ingredients: 

• 2.5 pounds gold potatoes
• 1 bag (2.5 cups) shredded Colby Jack cheese (or whatever kind you prefer)
• 1 cup milk
• 4 Tablespoons butter
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

Peel and cut potatoes into 1 inch cubes. Par-boil potatoes until a knife can be easily inserted through potato without much force. Layer potatoes, cheese, and salt and pepper into a 9x9 dish. Cube butter into single tablespoon portions, and shove each cube into the potatoes.Pour milk over the potatoes. Cook for 45 minutes at 400 degrees. Enjoy!

**********

Foodie Friday: Cream Cheese Buffalo Chicken Taquitos

I found a recipe for something along the lines of cream cheese & buffalo bacon and chicken taquitos. Um... can you say yum? I had high hopes for making these little boogers but in the end decided that I wanted to wing it and make a super simple version of them. I wont even reference where I found the inspiration because a) I can't remember and b) they are nothing like the recipe. That being said, these bad boys were stinkin' amazing (and spicy!) and I definitely plan to make them again.

**********

Cream Cheese Buffalo Chicken Taquitos

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds chicken breast, shredded
• 1/3 cup Frank's Hot Buffalo sauce
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 8 tortillas (I used flour)
• Oil for frying (I used vegetable)

Directions:

If you don't use canned chicken, you can do what I did and either boil, or throw your chicken in the crock pot for a few hours and quickly shred with a fork. Combine shredded chicken, buffalo sauce, cream cheese, and s&p into a large bowl and mix together. Spoon mixture into tortillas and wrap, securing with a toothpick. Meanwhile, heat your oil over medium heat. Once hot enough, drop each taquito into oil and fry, turning for an even cook (about 45 seconds-1 minute). Lay on a paper towel to soak excess oil and cool. Serve with desired toppings, dipping sauces and enjoy!

**********

Foodie Friday: Crab & Potato Soup

Over the rainy weekend all I could think about was how excited I was for fall and all of the warm, comforting meals that come along with it. Being the impatient person that I am, when the craving for a warm, heavy soup came along, I had to have it. Turning to my pantry, I pulled out a few ingredients and threw them into a pot. Out of no where-- poof! bam! thank you, ma'am! came this delicious hearty soup that will now be a staple in our household for years to come.

**********

Crab & Potato Soup

Prep Time: None

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Yields: 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 cans Campbell's Cream of Potato Soup
• 1/2 can diced potatoes
• 1 can shredded crab meat (drained)
• 1 cup water
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Throw all ingredients into a pot, stir, and cook over medium heat until warm. Enjoy!

**********

Foodie Friday: Crockpot Chocolate Cake

Hooray for the second installment of Foodie Friday! I told you all it'd make a return... eventually. A few weeks ago I was browsing none other than ol' trusty Pinterest and came across a recipe for what was pinned as "the most moist cake ever". It's no secret that I'm a cake/cupcake lover, and am all about delicious, moist cake. Bring it on!

I slightly tweaked this recipe and it came out so, so, so good. As for the look of it... we will deem this 'The Cake That Looked Like Booty but Tasted Amazeballs" or "The Ugliest Cake I Ever Ate".

My recommendations are to wait until the cake cools completely before trying to dump it from the crockpot. Obviously I was much too excited about the results of a freakin' cake from a crockpot (!!!!) and couldn't stand to wait. I would also wait to eat it until it cools as well. While it was absolutely delicious piping hot with melted frosting oozing down the slice, I had another piece last night and it was so much better at room temperature.

Normally I am all about completely sealing a cake in tupperware to keep it fresh, but with this cake I just wrapped foil around the plate it was sitting on and left it out. Two days later and it was just as moist as the first day.

Because of the texture of this cake, I think it would be absolutely perfect to use a white cake base and make your own sponge/Angel Food cake with. I think I've got a new idea!

Now for the moment you have all been waiting for...

**********

Crockpot Chocolate Cake

(Adapted from Mom's With Crockpots)

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 2-4 hours

Yields: 24 servings (or 5 in our household)

Ingredients:

• 1 box chocolate cake mix
• 1 package instant chocolate pudding mix (small box)
• 12 ounces fat free plain Greek yogurt (I love Fage brand)
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 1 cup water

Directions:

Spray crockpot with non-stick cooking spray. Mix all ingredients together and pour into crockpot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 2-4 hours. (Mine only took 2.5 hours, but my crockpot's 'high' is really hot!)

Enjoy!

**********

**********