Reduced Guilt Key Lime Pie

Five years ago, I dedicated an entire month to pies on my blog.
I made so many pies that month it's amazing I didn't gain tons of weight.
Please remember that all posts are from 2011, but here are five of my favorites:
Lemon Meringue Pie
Mini Pumpkin Pies
Dutch Apple Pie
Chocolate Cherry Pie
Turkey Pot Pie

With all the pies I made, it's amazing I never made a Key Lime Pie.
I changed that recently though and made one,
but decided to try to make it just a tad healthier!

The Goods:

Graham Crackers

Brown Sugar

Salt

White Chocolate Chips

Butter

Reduced Fat Greek Yogurt

Key Limes

Eggs

Fat-Free Sweetened Condensed Milk

Whipped Cream

Crush your graham crackers in a gallon bag using a rolling pin.

In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup graham cracker crumbs,

1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1 ounce chopped white chocolate.

Add 2 tablespoons melted butter and toss until evenly moistened.

Press crumb mixture into greased pie pan and bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

Cool completely on a wire rack.

While crust is cooling, in another medium bowl combine 1/2 greek yogurt, 

1/2 cup fresh key lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon key lime zest, 

3 large egg yolks and (1) 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk.

Pour mixture into crust and bake at 350 degrees for about 14 minutes.

Cool pie completely on wire rack. 

Chill at least 2 hours before cutting. 

And of course, serve with whipped cream!

Reduced Guilt Key Lime Pie

Adapted from Cooking Light

For the Crust:

1 Cup Graham Cracker Crumbs

1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar

1/8 Teaspoon Salt

1 Ounce White Chocolate Chips

2 Tablespoons Butter

For the Filling:

1/2 Cup Reduced Fat Greek Yogurt

1/2 Cyo Key Limes

3 Large Egg Yolks

1 (14 Ounce) Fat-Free Sweetened Condensed Milk

1. Crush your graham crackers in a gallon bag using a rolling pin.
2. In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup graham cracker crumbs, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1 ounce chopped white chocolate. Add 2 tablespoons melted butter and toss until evenly moistened.
3. Press crumb mixture into greased pie pan and bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack.
4. While crust is cooling, in another medium bowl combine 1/2 greek yogurt, 1/2 cup fresh key lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon key lime zest, 3 large egg yolks and (1) 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk.
5. Pour mixture into crust and bake at 350 degrees for about 14 minutes. Cool pie completely on wire rack. Chill at least 2 hours before cutting. 

"Healthy" Cookies

I've had a pretty healthy diet for pretty much my entire life,

but over the last few months I've made small changes to my diet,

and I'd say that my eating has gotten even healthier!

But because I'm me - I still have that sweet tooth,

so of course I looked for something healthy to curb that.

I quickly found this recipe and made it that same day!

After adding a few yummy ingredients,

I ended up with a cookie that was not only pretty healthy,

but fixed that sweet craving I get quite often.

The Goods:

Mashed Bananas

Oats

Coconut Flakes

Craisins

Mini Chocolate Chips

Ground Cinnamon

Mix together 2 large mashed bananas, 1 cup oats and a teaspoon ground cinnamon.

Add 1/2 cup EACH of mini chocolate chips, craisins and coconut flakes.

Mix until everything is well incorporated. 

Portion your cookies out on greased cookie sheet.

Realize that some granulated honey would be a great addition,

so sprinkle some on top of each cookie before baking.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

They will be pretty soft when you take them out.

Cool on wire rack for a few minutes.

Then take a bite and enjoy this "healthy" treat!

Healthy Cookies

Adapted from The Burlap Bag

2 Large Mashed Bananas

1 Cup Oats

1/2 Cup Coconut Flakes

1/2 Cup Craisins

1/2 Cup Mini Chocolate Chips

1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

1. Mix together 2 large mashed bananas, 1 cup oats and a teaspoon ground cinnamon.
2. Add 1/2 cup EACH of mini chocolate chips, craisins and coconut flakes.
3. Mix until everything is well incorporated. 
4. Portion your cookies out on greased cookie sheet.
5. Realize that some granulated honey would be a great addition, so sprinkle some on top of each cookie before baking.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. They will be pretty soft when you take them out.
7. Cool on wire rack for a few minutes.
8. Then take a bite and enjoy this "healthy" treat!

Baked Donut Monday: Lavender with Blueberry Glaze

Happy Monday everyone!!!

I'm back again for another Baked Donut Monday post

and today I'm going to tell you about some super tasty

LAVENDER BAKED DONUTS 

WITH BLUEBERRY GLAZE!

One of my close friends went lavender picking in Ojai earlier this year.
She dried it out and then asked me if I wanted some to use for crafts of cooking.
I, of course, said yes and went to town looking for recipes using it.
I was ecstatic when I found a baked donut recipe using lavender.

I made it very soon after and was quite intrigued by it's taste.
I'd never had anything like it before and it got better with every bite.
I shared these donuts with some of my closest friends,
and they too agreed that it just kept getting better and better.

The Goods:

Lavender

Ground Flax Seed

Olive Oil

Maple Syrup

Vanilla Extract

Apple Cider Vinegar

Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour

Baking Soda

Salt

Powdered Sugar

Blueberries

Almond Milk

Add 1 tablespoon dried lavender to 1/2 cup warm water.

Steep for about 30 minutes.

Strain lavender tea and set aside.

Process 3 tablespoons flax seed with 1 teaspoon dried lavender until fine.

In a small bowl, combine the flax seed and lavender mixture

with the lavender tea, whisk well and set aside at least 5 minutes.

This is your "egg" in the recipe.

Combine gluten free all purpose flour, salt and baking soda. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flax seed "egg" mixture with olive oil, 

maple syrup, vanilla extract and apple cider vinegar and mix well.

Add in the dry ingredient and mix until just combined. 

Transfer donut batter to a large zipper bag.

Cut off the end of the zipper bag 

and fill your greased donut pan until 1/2 to 3/4 full.

Bake at 325 degrees for about 10 minutes.

You can test that they're done with a toothpick.

Cool in the pan for a few minutes.

Remove from pan and finish cooling on wire rack.

While cooling, make your blueberry glaze.

In food processor, combine 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons blueberries

1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 teaspoons almond milk. 

Pulse until smooth, adding extra almond milk if needed to reach desired consistency.

Dip to the top of each donut in the glaze and return to wire rack to set up.

Bite into the donut and enjoy the unique deliciousness!

Lavender Baked Donuts

With Blueberry Glaze

Inspired By food52

For the Donuts:

1/2 Cup Warm Water

4 Teaspoons Dried Lavender

3 Tablespoons Ground Flax Seed

1/4 Cup Olive Oil

1/3 Cup Maple Syrup

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 Teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar

1 Cup Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

For the Glaze:

1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar

2 Tablespoons Blueberries

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

2 Teaspoons Almond Milk

1. Add 1 tablespoon dried lavender to 1/2 cup warm water. Steep for about 30 minutes. Strain lavender tea and set aside.
2. Process 3 tablespoons flax seed with 1 tablespoon dried lavender until fine.
3. In a small bowl, combine the flax seed and lavender mixture with the lavender tea, whisk well and set aside at least 5 minutes. This is your "egg" in the recipe.
4. Combine gluten free all purpose flour, salt and baking soda. Set aside.
5. In a large bowl, combine flax seed "egg" mixture with olive oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract and apple cider vinegar and mix well.
6. Add in the dry ingredient and mix until just combined. 
7. Transfer donut batter to a large zipper bag.
8. Cut off the end of the zipper bag and fill your greased donut pan until 1/2 to 3/4 full.
9. Bake at 325 degrees for about 10 minutes.You can test that they're done with a toothpick.
10. Cool in the pan for a few minutes. Remove from pan and finish cooling on wire rack.
11. While cooling, make your blueberry glaze. In food processor, combine 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons blueberries,1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 teaspoons almond milk. Pulse until smooth, adding extra almond milk if needed to reach desired consistency.
12. Dip to the top of each donut in the glaze and return to wire rack to set up.

Baked Donut Monday: Lemon Poppy Seed

Happy Monday everyone!!!

I'm back again for another Baked Donut Monday post

and today I'm going to tell you about some super tasty

LEMON POPPY SEED BAKED DONUTS!

I'm a HUGE fan of lemon desserts,

and had yet to make a lemon baked donut,

so when I found this recipe I had to add it to my list!

The Goods:

Flour

Baking Powder

Salt

Poppy Seeds

Sugar

Eggs

Milk

Butter

Fresh Lemon Juice

Lemon Zest

Vanilla

Powdered Sugar

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and poppy seeds in a large bowl.

Whisk together the sugar, eggs, milk, butter, 

lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla in another bowl.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

Then mix until just combined, being careful not to over mix.

Transfer donut batter to a large zipper bag.

Cut off the end of the zipper bag 

and fill your greased donut pan until 1/2 to 3/4 full.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

You can test that they're done with a toothpick.

Remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.

While donuts are cooling, make your lemon glaze

by whisking together the powdered sugar and lemon juice.  

If glaze is too thick, add just a little more lemon juice to thin out.

Dip the top of each donut into the glaze and return to wire rack for glaze to set.

Finally taste test your donut!

Lemon Poppy Seed Donuts 

Adapted from Dessert Now Dinner Later

For the Donuts:

2 Cups Flour

2 Teaspoons Baking Powder

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

1 Teaspoon Poppy Seeds

2/3 Cup Sugar

2 Eggs

2/3 Cup Milk

4 Tablespoons Butter - melted and cooled

4 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice

4 Teaspoons Lemon Zest

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

For the Glaze:

2 Cups Powdered Sugar

4 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice

1. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and poppy seeds in a large bowl.
2. Whisk together the sugar, eggs, milk, butter, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla in another bowl.
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined, being careful not to over mix.
4. Transfer donut batter to a large zipper bag. 
5. Cut off the end of the zipper bag and fill your greased donut pan until 1/2 to 3/4 full.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. You can test that they're done with a toothpick.
7. Remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack.
8. While donuts are cooling, make your lemon glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar and lemon juice.  If glaze is too thick, add just a little more lemon juice to thin out.
9. Dip the top of each donut into the glaze and return to wire rack for glaze to set.
10. Finally, taste test your donut!