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Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Cookies

October 11, 2012 ·
Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Cookies from Alida's Kitchen

Every time I drop Adam off at Preschool, he asks what I’m going to do while he’s at school.  Last week I told him laundry and other boring things.  He told me I should make something…I should make something with pumpkin.  Little did he know, I had these Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Cookies on my list of things to do, so easy enough.  I told him I would make some pumpkin cookies, and he just beamed!  That definitely sounds better than laundry 🙂

These Pumpkin White Chocolate Chips cookies are very soft with a little chewy bite from the oats.  I changed up the sugar ratio a bit from the original recipe because I love what brown sugar does to baked goods.  The original recipe calls for 1 egg, but I initially made a half recipe.  How do you cut an egg in half?  I used the full egg in half, and 2 in a full recipe.  The dough is a little gooey, so it helps to refrigerate it a bit before baking.    Otherwise I don’t know exactly how this impacts the recipe, but I do know these cookies are perfection and would not change a thing.

I am sharing these delightful cookies for week 3 of the 12 Weeks of Christmas Treats, hosted by Meal Planning Magic.  While these cookies are perfect for any holiday cookie platter, I do think they would also make an excellent Halloween or Thanksgiving treat, or any time treat for other fellow pumpkin lovers!  

Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Cookies
 
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Yields: approximately 48 cookies
Ingredients
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup quick-cooking oats
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin
  • 1½ cups white chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, cram butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla.
  2. In a separate bowl, combine flour, oats, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon.
  3. Stir in flour mixture into butter mixture alternately with pumpkin. Fold in white chocolate chips.
  4. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes to overnight.
  5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet(s) with parchment paper.
  6. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets and bake for 12 to 13 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Adapted from Taste of Home

If you’re a blogger and want to join in on the fun, check out this post for the form to fill out to start baking along with us!

Filed Under: dessert, kid-friendly, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Grandma’s Lemon Bars

October 4, 2012 ·

For the next 11 weeks, I am excited to join a group, hosted by Meal Planning Magic, called 12 Weeks of Christmas Treats.   I missed last week due to somebody’s pesky 2 year old molars, hence 11 weeks 🙂   So every Thursday, I will be sharing a delicious Holiday-inspired treat.  I know what you’re thinking…Christmas? It’s only October!  It’s never too early to plan.  Time to dust off those holiday cookie platters!

For my first Christmas treat post, it is only fitting that I share a favorite recipe that my Grandma used to make for the Holidays ~ Lemon Bars.  There was always something extra special about her lemon bars.  They had a perfect balance of tangy and sweet, they had the lovely dusting of powdered sugar on top, and they literally melted in your mouth.  Of our favorites she made, my grandma’s lemon bars topped the list of many (and there definitely were many).  To me, no Holiday cookie platter is complete without lemon bars.  I never realized how easy they were to make, which is an added bonus!

Grandma’s Lemon Bars
 
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Yields: 16 bars
Ingredients
  • ½ cup butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar
  • Cooking spray
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • powdered sugar, for topping
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8" square baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
  2. In a small bowl, mix together butter, 1 cup flour and ¼ cup powdered sugar. Press into prepared baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden.
  3. In a large bowl, mix sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and baking powder. Add eggs, juice and zest, folding gently until combined.
  4. Pour lemon mixture over baked crust.
  5. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Let cool completely and then dust with powdered sugar.

 

 

Be sure to check out all the other bloggers who are participating this week in the 12 Weeks of Christmas Treats blog hop. And if you’re a blogger and want to join in on the fun, check out this post for the form to fill out to start baking along with us!

Filed Under: dessert, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , ,

Golden Grahams S’mores Bars

September 26, 2012 ·
indoor s'mores
This post is sponsored by Nestlé® Toll House® Morsels, the perfect special ingredient for all of your family’s favorite treats!
Golden Graham’s S’mores Bars are a no-bake, graham, chocolate, and marshmallow bar that is super easy to make.  These classic flavors never get old, and it is always fun to find new ways to enjoy the taste of s’more.  These bars are similar to a rice krispie treat, only using graham squares cereal , and chocolate is melted with the marshmallow mixture.  They take about 10 minutes to melt and mix together and then about an hour in the refrigerator to set the chocolate.

I found the recipe years ago on the back of a Nestlé® Toll House®Morsels bag, but had not had an opportunity to make them. Fortunately, as part of the DailyBuzz Food Tastemaker program with Nestlé® Toll House®Morsels, I received a baking kit and coupon for free Nestlé® Toll House®Morsels and was invited to spend the afternoon baking with my favorite little man. It just so happens that Adam is very interested in all that goes on in the kitchen these days. He was more than excited to help!

indoor s'mores Nestle

This was the perfect recipe to get Adam involved in the kitchen. He served as chief ingredient pour-er and chief mixer (before melting, of course), and may have done some on-the-job sampling. He took his jobs very seriously and took great pride in his work. It was fun to have a little baking buddy, and fun to have an excuse to make these Golden Grahams S’mores Bars!

Golden Grahams S’mores Bars
 
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Yields: 24 bars
Ingredients
  • 12.5 ounce box Golden Graham's Cereal
  • 6 cups (10.5 ounce bag) miniature marshmallows, divided
  • 1½ cups NESTLE TOLL HOUSE Milk Chocolate morsels
  • 5 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
  • ¼ cup light corn syrup (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Cooking spray
Instructions
  1. Pour cereal in a large bowl and set aside.
  2. 5 cups of marshmallows, chocolate chips, butter and corn syrup in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Stir constantly, until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
  3. Pour chocolate mixture over cereal, stirring until well coated. Add remaining marshmallows and stir.
  4. Spray 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray.
  5. Pour mixture into prepared baking pan, using a spatula or back of wooden spoon to press the mixture into the pan. Refrigerate for 1 hour, until firm. Cut into bars and serve.

Source: back of the Nestlé® Toll House® Morsels bag

Disclaimer: As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received a baking kit, a coupon for free bag of Nestlé® Toll House® Morsels, and a stipend.  Sponsored posts are purely editorial content that we are pleased to have presented by a participating sponsor. Advertisers do not produce the content.

Filed Under: dessert, kid-friendly, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Fontina and Mascarpone Baked Pasta

September 20, 2012 ·
fontina and mascarpone mac 'n cheese

Every time I make Baked Tortellini with Spinach, I am left with 6 ounces of fontina cheese.  While I would happily make it 3 more times, I have also had this Fontina and Mascarpone Baked Pasta dish on my list of things to make for some time now.   The first time I made this dish without mushrooms, and it was good, but I felt it needed something more.  It needed mushrooms.  Mushrooms are not typically my go-to for anything, but it really cried out for something earthy and meaty.  Sauteed in a little garlic, the mushrooms were the perfect addition to this dish.  I used some Parmesan cheese for some of the fontina in the original recipe to give the recipe a little more bite.  Topped with buttery, garlic breadcrumbs, Fontina and Mascarpone Baked Pasta is a delicious and sophisticated twist on macaroni and cheese ~ perfect for company or Sunday dinner comfort food.

Looking to use up the leftover mascarpone cheese?  Try Porcini Mushroom and Spinach Risotto with Mascarpone

Fontina and Mascarpone Baked Pasta
 
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Yields: 8 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 pound medium pasta shells, uncooked (penne or other similar shaped pasta works too)
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups skim milk
  • 1¾ cups (6 ounces) shredded fontina cheese
  • ¼ cup (2 ounces) shredded Parmesan cheese
  • ¼ cup (2 ounces) mascarpone cheese
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 8 ounces sliced mushrooms (I use baby bellas)
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • Cooking spray
  • ¼ cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 tablespoon butter (I use light butter)
  • 1 small garlic clove, minced
  • 1½ tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
  1. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and keep warm.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  3. Combine flour and milk in a large sauce pan over medium heat, stirring constantly with a whisk, and cook for about 10 minutes or until mixture starts to thicken.
  4. Meanwhile, in a nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray, saute mushrooms, with a pinch of salt, until softened (about 5 to 7 minutes). Add 1 clove of minced garlic in the last minute, if desired.
  5. Remove milk mixture from heat and add cheeses, whisking until mixture is smooth. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
  6. Add cooked pasta and mushrooms, stirring to coat and combine.
  7. Spray a 13x9-inch baking pan with cooking spray and pour pasta mixture into pan.
  8. Meanwhile, melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Remove from heat and add breadcrumbs, stirring to coat. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over pasta mixture.
  9. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes, or until bubbly. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Adapted from Cooking Light, November, 2006

Filed Under: healthy, main dishes, Recipes, vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Pumpkin Banana Muffins

September 12, 2012 ·
Pumpkin Banana Muffins put a Fall twist on banana bread with the perfect balance of pumpkin and banana. 
Pumpkin Banana Muffins | alidasktichen.com
Pumpkin Banana Muffins are a huge hit in our household. They are made with whole wheat flour, bumping the nutrition value.  The pumpkin and banana make for a moist muffin, so not a lot of oil is needed.  I typically make these as a combination of mini muffins (24) and standard muffins (3) and freeze half of the mini muffins.

So last week was Adam’s first day of preschool. I decided to make Pumpkin Banana Muffins as a special surprise after school. Pumpkin Banana Muffins are his favorite muffin of all time, so I knew they would be a hit.  He loved school and was welcomed home with his favorite treat.  It is safe to say, he had the best day!

Pumpkin Banana Muffins | alidasktichen.com

Pumpkin Banana Muffins
 
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Yields: 30 mini-muffins (or 15-18 standard muffins)
Ingredients
  • 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour or all-purpose flour (or 1 cup all-purpose flour/1 cup whole wheat flour)
  • ½ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 bananas, mashed
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • ¼ cup canola oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin tins with baking spray and fill empty cups with water. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk the bananas, pumpkin, oil, eggs and vanilla, until well-blended.
  4. Add banana mixture to flour mixture, gently folding until combined.
  5. Divide mixture evenly among prepared muffin cups.
  6. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes for mini muffins / 13 to 15 minutes for standard muffins, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

ETA 10/19/12:  I have made these several times since posting and have experimented with different flours, since white whole wheat flour isn’t an ingredient I always have on hand.  All whole wheat pastry flour works really well, and the recipe has been updated below accordingly.

Pumpkin Banana Muffins {alidaskitchen.com}

Source: Pumpkin Banana Bread

Filed Under: bread, breakfast, healthy, kid-friendly, Popular, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
easy vegetarian spinach manicotti with no boil noodles

Easy Meatless Manicotti

September 5, 2012 ·
Easy Meatless Manicotti | alidaskitchen.com


I don’t know about you, but I am very excited for Fall.  It is my favorite time of year for cooking and baking, plus I love the cooler temperatures.  Even though the season has not technically changed, Labor Day is kind of an unofficial kick off to the Fall season.  At least that’s what I’m telling myself.  I have already made a pumpkin pie, pumpkin pancakes, chili and cornbread, beef stew, and a few other Fall-inspired goodies to be posted soon.  (Ok, confession…I may have done some of this before Labor Day).

In any case, this Easy Meatless Manicotti is one of my favorite dishes and is a perfect comfort food for the cooler temperatures.  There are a couple time-saving steps in this recipe to help make it “easy.”   First, no boiling of the noodles is required.  Not having to boil the noodles is not only a time-saver, but filling firm shells is a whole lot easier than flimsy cooked shells.  This recipe also uses a jarred pasta sauce, though if you want to make your own, go for it!  The filling is very flexible – I’ve used cottage cheese or ricotta, and either works fine.  I have used frozen broccoli in place of the spinach; I have added onions, shredded zucchini, whatever extra vegetables that needs to be used up.  Leftovers heat up beautifully, which make for great lunches or quick dinners.  Easy Meatless Manicotti is healthy and delicious and a regular in our dinner rotation.

easy vegetarian spinach manicotti with no cook noodles

Easy Meatless Manicotti
 
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Yields: 7 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella, divided
  • ¼ cup (1 ounce) grated parmesan cheese
  • 16 ounces nonfat cottage cheese
  • 10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 3 garlic cloves, grated or minced
  • 1½ teaspoons dried Italian herb seasoning (or dried oregano)
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste
  • Cooking Spray
  • 3 cups marinara sauce (or 24-28 ounce jar pasta sauce)
  • 1 package (14 noodles) manicotti noodles - uncooked
  • ½ cup water
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl, combine 1½ cups mozzarella, Parmesan, and cottage cheese, along with the spinach, garlic, Italian herb seasoning, red pepper and salt/pepper to taste.
  3. Spray 13 x 9 baking dish with cooking spray. Pour ½ of the sauce in the baking dish.
  4. Fill the manicotti noodles* with filling mixture until full, about 3 tablespoons.
  5. Pour the remaining sauce over the noodles, making sure the noodles are covered.
  6. Slowly pour ½ cup water around the perimeter of baking dish. Sprinkle remaining ½ cup mozzarella cheese on top. Cover with nonstick foil (or spray foil with cooking spray) and bake for 1 hour. Let sit uncovered for 10 minutes and serve.
Notes
Filling tips: Put filling in a ziploc bag, cut off a corner and fill shells OR I have found an iced tea spoon is the perfect size for spooning the filling in the shells.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 2 shells

 

Adapted from Cooking Light

Filed Under: Featured, healthy, main dishes, Recipes, vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Ginger Chicken Satay

August 30, 2012 ·

Chicken Satay is one of my favorite chicken dishes.  While I doubt there will ever be anything that comes close my favorite recipe, I enjoy experimenting with different versions from time to time.  The thing that caught my eye in this particular version was the interesting use of pineapple juice.

The result was a subtle yet delicious Ginger Chicken Satay.  The flavors are mild yet interesting.  The pineapple juice isn’t obvious, but was indeed a tasty addition.  The heat can obviously be adjusted to taste with the crushed red pepper.   I’m not really a skewer fan, so I just grill the chicken directly instead of threading it on skewers.  If you want to do skewers, then cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces before marinating.  Then thread the chicken on the skewers once you are ready to fire up the grill.

Ginger Chicken Satay
 
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Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders
  • 1 cup pineapple juice
  • 6 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • Crushed red pepper, adjust to taste
Instructions
  1. Put the chicken in Ziploc bag.
  2. In medium bowl, combine pineapple juice, peanut butter, sugar, vinegar, ginger, garlic and crushed red pepper. Pour the marinade over chicken in the Ziploc bag. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to overnight.
  3. Preheat grill (or grill pan) to medium high. Cook chicken 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through. Serve with additional crushed red pepper, if desired.

 

Adapted from Fitness, May, 2011

Filed Under: gluten free, healthy, main dishes, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , ,
healthy carrot zucchini bread

Carrot Zucchini Bread

August 23, 2012 ·

Carrot Zucchini Bread | alidaskitchen.com #recipes
Carrot Zucchini Bread is a moist, delicious twist on zucchini bread.  If you have extra zucchini, this is definitely a must-make!

The end of summer is one of my favorite times of year because it means zucchini is everywhere.  Zucchini is such a versatile vegetable that gets turned into delicious dishes, both savory and sweet, with so many possibilities!  I found myself with some zucchini and some leftover carrots from making Carrot Cake Pancakes.  My first instinct was to make pancakes (which might come later), but Carrot Zucchini Bread has been on my list for quite a while.  A quick bread with double veggies has got to be a good thing.  Carrot Zucchini Bread is a super tasty, fun twist on zucchini bread!

Carrot Zucchini Bread
 
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Yields: 1 loaf (12 servings)
Ingredients
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup canola oil
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1¾ cup grated zucchini (squeeze out some excess moisture)
  • ½ cup grated carrot
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 8x4 loaf pan (or spray with baking spray) and set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk eggs and oil until well blended. Add sugar and vanilla, and whisk until combined. Add zucchini and carrot, stirring until combined.
  4. Add flour mixture to zucchini mixture, gently folding until just combined.
  5. Pour mixture into prepared loaf pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 5 to 10 minutes and then move to wire rack to cool completely.

Adapted from Food.com

Carrot Zucchini Bread | alidaskitchen.com #recipes

Filed Under: bread, breakfast, Recipes, vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Grilled Lemon Chicken with Parsley Sauce

August 15, 2012 ·

Grilled Lemon Chicken with Parsley Sauce is a light and healthy dish that tastes like summer.  Plus it’s a great way to use some of the parsley that may be taking over your herb garden!  The lemon in the chicken is subtle and fresh tasting, which serves as a nice contrast to the tangy parsley sauce.  The marinade is quick and easy to make, using simple ingredients, and then pop the chicken in the refrigerator until you’re ready to grill.  As with any citrus marinade, it acts quickly so can be grilled within 15 minutes.  I’ve also let the chicken marinate overnight, and that works fine too.  For the parsley sauce, I just toss everything in my Magic Bullet (which I love any excuse to use!), and it’s done in a minute.  Easy! 

Grilled Lemon Chicken with Parsley Sauce
 
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Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • Chicken:
  • zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken tenders or breasts (4 4-ounce breasts)
  • Sauce:
  • ⅔ cup parsley
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon chopped shallot
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
  1. Prepare marinade: In a bowl, whisk together zest, juice, oil, garlic, salt, pepper and sugar until combined.
  2. Put chicken in a Ziploc bag and pour marinade over chicken. Shake to coat and put in the refrigerator to marinate until ready to use (at least 15 minutes to overnight).
  3. Prepare sauce: In a blender, add parsley, oil, shallot, vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, and juice. Blend until smooth (about 1 minute).
  4. Preheat grill. Place chicken on grill (discard marinade) and cook chicken on 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until thoroughly cooked.
  5. Serve chicken with a drizzle of sauce and garnish as desired. (Store any leftover marinade in the refrigerator).

Adapted from Health, July, 2006

Filed Under: gluten free, healthy, main dishes, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
Black Bean Brownies

Black Bean Brownies

August 8, 2012 ·


Black Bean Brownies

Black beans and brownies…sounds crazy right?  Well, as many have discovered, using black beans in place of flour is a clever way to make brownies a bit healthier (and gluten free) without sacrificing a delicious chocolaty, rich-tasting dessert.  Black Bean Brownies have been on my list of things to make for years, and had I realized how easy they are to make, they would have been made a long time ago!  Essentially you just throw everything in a food processor (or blender), process for a minute, pour in pan and bake.

Then comes the true test…how are they?  Amazing!  Mike and I were both excited to try them and very pleasantly surprised how good they are (or were…the brownies are long gone!)  They have a deep chocolate flavor, a not quite cakey and not quite fudgy texture, and were some of the best brownies I’ve had in a long time!

Black Bean Brownies
 
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Yields: 16 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅔ cup brown sugar, packed
  • ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
  • Cooking spray (or additional oil)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray (or brush with oil) and set aside.
  2. Put black beans in a food processor and process until smooth.
  3. Add eggs, oil, cocoa, baking powder, vanilla and brown sugar, and process until completely blended. (Note: You may need to stop and scrape down the sides a couple times during this step).
  4. Add ¼ cup chocolate chips and pulse 5 times.
  5. Pour mixture in prepared baking dish. Sprinkle top with remaining chocolate chips.
  6. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Put on a wire rack and let cool completely before serving.

Source:  Whole Living

Filed Under: dessert, Featured, gluten free, healthy, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , ,