WIAW #34 Healthy Microwave Birthday Cake with Greek Yogurt Icing

If I have been going for making shorter and less frequent posts this month, I have so far succeeded. But that’s not what I’m going for; it’s just panning out that way….boo.
 

My actual job has been taking up most of my time this month, but the super busy time has passed…for now. I was able to do more in the kitchen this past weekend, but hardly have any pictures for #proof. I do have some lovely pictures of Kelley, my dear wife, enjoying a delicious Chocolate Protein Layer Cake I made in the microwave. It was her birthday last Friday, but since I wouldn’t dare buy a cake from the store, I had to make my own.

She let me have a small bite, it was good, but that’s obvious from her leaving nothing behind. She was nice enough to take a big bite in front of me and rub it in, but I was just happy she liked it. Making a healthy yet delicious personal cake is perfect to avoid having leftovers staring at you and beckoning to eat it. Make it yourself, you'll see taste what I'm talking about; recipe at the end of this post.

Oh yeah, and, Happy Birthday, Kelley! I never made a post to say this on Friday, so I’m saying it on the blogosphere now.

Poor cake, never had a chance....

 

Aside from making microwave cakes, I ventured in the realm of non-dairy milk making this weekend too. My pictures are less than stellar, but this is pumpkin seed milk. The green tint is hard to distinguish in the pic, but it’s pretty green, just like my pistachio milk. Both would be perfect for a St. Patty’s Day beverage, and both are creamy, delicious, and healthy! I laugh at store bought milks now...ha ha ha ha....see.
 

The leftover pulp went to good use in another experiment; nut pulp dessert hummus. I’m sure you get the picture; I basically used the pumpkin seed pulp in place of garbanzo beans to make a sweet and healthy hummus. I think next time I’ll make it spicy with added peppers and of course cayenne. Once I get a chance to get the measurements down, I’ll have to share the recipe because you MUST try it!

I also ventured in making red lentil milk and a soy/black bean mix milk. The lentil milk turned very viscous and would hardly pour out of the bottle I put it in. This stuff was pretty much gel. Since there was no pulp left, I figure it’s what makes the milk so thick. I added stevia, vanilla, and sea salt to the gelatinous milk and used it to add to a couple bean and veggie dessert dips I tested. Recipes for these will come.
 

Soy/Black Bean mix milk is pretty good and similar to soy milk with a darker tint. I think I’ll try all black beans next time to see what that’s like. I bet it would be a good base for a Halloween drink! There, that’s my “Spooky Treat” for this What I Ate Wednesday. Sorry, I’m lacking in this department, so please work with me here.

Speaking of WIAW, I once again do not have a full day’s worth of eats, but rather some notable meals. Please accept these for now and hopefully I’ll get back on track soon! Thanks to Jenn at Peas and Crayons!

 

Enjoy and Happy What I Ate Wednesday!!

This is our staple Meatless Monday Meal...had on Wednesday

 

A tasty Kevita Mango Coconut Probiotic Drink along with my lunch. Refreshing!

 

More Spicy Peanut Butter Carrot Dip!!



Chocolate puree made with the think lentil milk, pumpkin puree, spinach, peanut flour, and cocoa powder

Pumpkin Pie Omelette. Recycled picture but sooo delicious! I see a lot more of these in my future. Belly beware!!

Today is supposed to be the last warm day here in Texas before a cold front blows in. Oh joy, just in time for the neighborhood garage sale at my mom’s that Kelley and I are helping out with. Nothing like waking up at 5:30am to sell our junk to others. Hey, that’s what coffee is for, right?

 

Oh yeah, here’s the microwave birthday cake recipe. Make it for friends, family, and yourself…..NOW!!

Microwave Chocolate Protein Birthday Cake

Ingredients

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 tablespoons vanilla or chocolate protein powder (I used stevia sweetened egg white protein powder)

3 tablespoons peanut flour or just more protein powder

3 tablespoons whole grain gluten free oats or flour (I used quinoa flour, but any other should work)

1/4 tsp salt

12 drops liquid stevia or 3-4 packets of stevia powder

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 tablespoons pumpkin puree, applesauce, or mashed banana (I used pumpkin)

1/4 cup milk of choice (I used unsweetened almond milk)

1 whole egg or 2 egg whites; can use one flax or chia egg for vegetarian option

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoons Peanut Butter Greek yogurt icing (optional; recipe below)

Directions

Combine dry ingredients and mix well; add liquid, stir, and then transfer half of the batter to a greased round, shallow dish like a ramekin.

Microwave 2 minutes and 10 seconds (may need another 20 seconds if not set). Wait for it to cool about 2 minutes, remove from dish and cook other half of batter.

Spread icing on top of first half, set other half on top and use remaining icing to cover the top.

Optional: sprinkle with cinnamon or cacao nibs with a cherry or strawberry on top. Oh, I bet sliced banana would be great too!

Chobani Greek Yogurt Icing

1/3 cup plain, non-fat Chobani Greek Yogurt

1/4 cup peanut flour, vanilla protein powder, or chocolate protein powder

1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

No worries if you have icing leftover because it’s wonderful by itself….YUM!

Portobello Mushroom....Birthday Cake?

Yesterday, Friday, was my 28th birthday.....whoopee....  I spent most of the day at work, though, and not much else.  My mom came over and we just enjoyed each other's company while sharing life stories.

Since Kelley and I work in the same office, she was able to give my co-workers good gift ideas.  I usually despise b-day (or any other) celebrations at work since healthy food choices are about as common as a vegetarian in a steakhouse. But Kelley and my friends/co-workers pulled through and surprised me with the best gifts I could as for, fresh produce!

My boss/friend scheduled an afternoon "business" meeting for our team, and while waiting in the meeting room, they entered with the best "cake" ever; a portobello mushroom with a candle in the middle.

Just look at it, so simple, but so good!  I don't eat a lot of things with sugar anymore, and cake is just not an option for me, but they brought carrot cake so they could have something too.  More mushroom for me!

I also received a bunch of carrots, dry roasted edamame, and sliced cremini and shitake mushrooms. Basically must-have foods in our home (for me, can't get Kelley into the 'shrooms), most of my friends/co-workers saw me radiate with delight from their gifts.  To them, it's mushrooms and carrots, but to me it's MUSHROOMS AND CARROTS! See the difference? Do you experience the same thing with people in your life?

Although simple foods, that's all I really want since I can't stand food that I didn't get to have a say in or know exactly how it's prepared. Me? Obsessive and nit-picky? Yes! I have no shame when it comes to what I put in my body.  If I want the turbo to spool at full potential, I want the 100+ octane fuel, not 87.

I'd like to sincerely thank my co-workers for the kind gifts as they are exactly what I'd want.  Their simple gift of produce helped make this the best birthday I've had in a while!

Kelley got a me a new Cuisinart food processor that I can't wait to use to, well, process foods with.  I've been using the food processor my mom got in 1991 for her wedding, so it's just a little outdated. Hopefully you'll see more healthy recipes created from my new processor.  Do you have any ideas of what I should make for my first processed creation?  Maybe no-bake peanut butter cookies or a tuna veggie combo to make tuna cakes?

No worries, I'll just do them all; it's a win-win! While in PA, my mom brought one of her exercise DVD's called "Tabata Inferno" that I tried a few times.  It was enough to get my daily dose of intensity to keep me sane and it was something different than just running.

Being the wonderful mother she is, she saw how I enjoyed the video and bought me the complete DVD set for my birthday.  This is pretty cool and will be useful for my "rest" days from strength training. She gave me 2 six packs of local brews and cool turtle figurine too. I like turtles and have a nice collection going on now!

I'm currently trying to gain strength, and therefore weight, but being a former fat kid, this is not as easy as it sounds. Trying "bulk" when so many of my food choices are low calorie veggies that fill me up before I even come close to a calorie surplus.  A quick solution to this problem would be  more dense foods like, say peanut butter! I just received a few jars of PB Crave to review, so I'll just get a jar and spoon and see what happens!

Kelley agreed to give me the whole weekend to celebrate my birthday, so we're going to the Texas Motor Speedway for some rally and Indy racing today.  Afterward, we'll rent the best thing Redbox has to offer and have a nice evening together.  I think tomorrow will be when I put the processor to use. Can you sense my excitement?

Q:  Do you "let go" on your b-day and eat things you normally wouldn't or are you unwavering 24/7?


I have read too many labels to ever be able to enjoy most "treats" now, but am perfectly happy making my own at home. I consider extra PB my treat though!

Spicy Protein Black Bean Cake Mistakes – My Meatless Monday Mishap

Time for posting will most likely be short this week (boo), but it’s hard to not post anything. Plus, I have to share this recipe I created on accident.


You ever do that; set out to make one thing, and wind up with something else? I guess that’s how a lot of great things have come into existence…..the slinky, microwave, Post-it notes, and even chocolate chip cookies, to name a few.

I was trying to make black bean burgers this weekend, but the wet ingredients seemed too much for the small amount of corn flour and protein powder I used; so I kept adding more until I could form patties.

Apparently, I could’ve stopped adding dry ingredients after the first 3/4 cup, but it just didn’t seem right to me.

So instead of a moist and tender bean burger, I wound up with a slightly crispy and tasty bean cake like you see here.

Meh, I didn’t want to use a bun anyway! These would’ve great formed into rectangles for a fun finger food you could use with cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, or just mustard as delicious dips. Kelley definitely didn’t mind either; she snuck a few bites before I was able to put the patty (cakes?) in the fridge!

This recipe is one delectable mistake that I’ll be making again………on purpose. Try it for yourself and let me know how you like or what you did different.

Roasted Grape Tomatoes and Shittake Mushrooms take the...errr...um...cake!

Spicy Black Bean Cake Mistakes

Ingredients

- 1 cup dried black beans, soaked overnight or 2 (15oz) cans of black beans, rinsed and drained
- 6oz of your favorite salsa; the amount varies, just eyeball it and add more towards the end if needed
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 bell peppers (any color); chopped
- 4 cloves garlic; crushed and minced
- 4 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
- 2 whole eggs or 3 egg whites; you can use 1/4 cup ground flax seed to make this vegan
- 3/4 cup corn flour
- 3/4 cup unflavored protein powder
- 1/4 cup rolled oats
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- Ground black pepper to taste; no need for salt as there should be enough in the salsa and mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- 3 tablespoons dried cilantro


Directions
 - Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

- Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat, sweat onion, bell peppers, and garlic; add beans, cilantro, and spices and cover to let simmer for 20 – 30 minutes.

- Remove beans from heat and transfer to large bowl to let cool; you don’t want to cook the eggs!
- Using a large fork or potato masher, mash most of the beans leaving a few ones intact for texture.

- Add remaining wet ingredients to bowl and mix well. Sift dry ingredients in small bowl and slowly mix into wet.

-With a large spoon, scoop the mix onto a parchment lined baking sheet, form into patties or whatever shape you want, and bake in the pre-heated oven for 30 minutes, and then flip over and cook another 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven (should have a crispy brown crust) and let cool on pan for 5 to 10 minutes.

 - Top each cake with salsa, plain yogurt, cottage cheese, or mustard and any of your favorite toppings. Serve with a big side of steamed veggies.

Q: Do you like finger foods or prefer to use utensils most of the time?

A: I love finger foods, but most of my comfort foods are consumed with a spoon and a cup. Mmmmm, squash and fruit purees……….

TGIF: Celebrate with a Chocolate Microwave Layer Cake!

Kelley and I went into Best Buy a few days ago and left new (to us) Nikon D3100 SLR camera. It all happened so fast, and all of the sudden we were at home with a new toy before I knew it. This is a big deal….really big, because we are usually conservative on how we spend our money on non-necessities. To give you an idea we don’t have smart phones and only get what’s free with a 2 year plan. I won't even cut my overgrown hair until Kelley lays down the spousal code and makes me.


But now we’re catching up with the times; just don’t be surprised if all of my recipes only involve beans and rice for a while! Of course, the biggest reason we bought the camera is because there's a newer model out now and ours, the predecessor, was on sale.


For blogging, this new Nikon SLR will enable me to start posting high quality photos (of beans and rice) for all viewers to see and savor. Plus, we needed a good camera to capture memories of our small family; us, two cats, a dog, and a turtle.


Basically, I’m excited about our new gadget and hopefully it will prove useful and enjoyable for the both of us. Being Friday with a a new camera to use I feel like celebrating by making something good and tasty. Hmmmm, I’m thinking……… Pumpkin Protein Crepes!

Quickly mix the batter, pour in a hot pan, sprinkle cinnamon, flip, wait, enjoy! Edible, guilt free celebration is the best kind!

MMM, you can see the sprinkled cinnamon cooked in!

Wait, I still don’t feel like I’ve celebrated enough; maybe I need a cake to make it official. I could make another delectable oatmeal cake like the one from yesterday’s post, but I don’t have any overnight oats and really don’t want to wait long.

Ohhh, I got it! I’ll make a chocolate layer cake and add Peanut Butter Chobani Greek yogurt icing all within in 5 minutes tops!


Interested? Make one for yourself…..it’s healthy indulgence at its finest.

How can I make this in only 5 minutes?  With the microwave, of course!

Microwave Chocolate Layer Cake
Get this stuff (makes 2 layers):


1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons whole grain flour (I used spelt)
3 tablespoons peanut flour or favorite protein powder
1/4 tsp salt
12 drops NuNaturals Stevia Liquid or 2 packets of NuNaturals White Stevia
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tablespoons pumpkin puree, applesauce, or mashed banana (I used pumpkin)
1/4 cup milk of choice (I used unsweetened almond milk)
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons Chobani Greek yogurt icing
Optional: Add a pinch of Cayenne for a sweet and spicy chocolate treat.


Do this with the stuff:

Combine dry ingredients and mix very, very well. Add liquid, stir, then transfer to a small dish; I used a mini quiche ceramic dish for even cooking that’s perfect for layering. Microwave 45 seconds; you may need to do a few more runs in 9 second increments to make sure the bottom is cooked enough. Be sure to spray your dish first, and then wait for it to cool before trying to remove it. Repeat step for second layer.

Cover the first cake with frosting (if using), set the second layer on top, then cover with more frosting. Now make it all go away by eating; sharing is optional. This tastes so good it is perfect for a healthy dessert, but also healthy enough to work as a satisfying breakfast. Plus, since it can be made in minutes, it won’t take too long to cook one or more before you head out for the day.

I think next time I'll use ripe mashed banana to pair with
chocolate and peanut butter... YUM!

That’s more like it; full of rich chocolate celebration satisfaction. Say that 10 times fast….now! Sorry, I’m just happy it’s Friday and I have some new things to use going into the weekend.

Have you made any big purchases recently? If not, no worries, you can still make this cake and celebrate the making of it.

Last Chance: Today is the last day to enter to win NuNaturals Stevia products!

Baked Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cake

I just realized I missed Pi Day yesterday, 3/14; and it was Albert Einstein's birthday too!  I’m not quite the “math geek” though, so I don’t feel too bad for missing it.  Maybe reading more news items would’ve helped, but, meh.  Did realize and/or celebrate the day?  I saw some foodie bloggers celebrated by (shocker!) eating pie.

It's good as is, but a Greek yogurt frosting would really "take the cake"

Actually, Chocolate-Covered Katie’s post about making a pie for Pi Day is what brought the day to my attention.  The pie and its recipe looks quite appetizing and has been added to my list of recipes I want to try that she’s posted in the past.

What are you looking at? Eat me.

In fact, the baked oatmeal cake with Chobani Greek yogurt icing that I posted in yesterday’s post was a recipe inspired by Chocolate-Covered Katie’s very similar baked oatmeal cakes.  She has made a few variations from pumpkin to cookie and all of them look exquisite!

Extra cinnamon on top looks good and tastes great....nutmeg would be good too.

Working off of her basic oatmeal cake, I created a recipe for a super peanut buttery oatmeal cake, and am very pleased with the end result….so was Kelley!  You must make this to fully appreciate its beauty, taste, and healthy ingredients; gather the following ingredients and bake one (or two or three) for yourself!

Baked Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cake

- 1/2 cup peanut butter overnight oats *(see recipe below….it’s easy!)

- 1/4 tsp baking powder

- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

- 1/2 tsp cinnamon

- 1 ½ tablespoons NuNaturals NuStevia Baking Blend, 8 – 12 drops liquid stevia, or 1 ½  packets White stevia powder (If you want sugar, use 1 – 2 tablespoons honey or agave nectar)

- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce, pumpkin puree, or mashed banana (Plain yogurt works well too)

- 1/4 cup milk of choice or just water will work

- Small dash of salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix all ingredients together until well incorporated. Pour into one of the muffin molds in a muffin tin, 1-cup ramekin (or use a glass baking dish like I used), or just spread flat on a baking sheet for a crunchy treat. Make sure you use non-stick bake ware or non-stick spray before pouring batter into device of choice. Cook for 25 - 30 minutes; the top should have a nice light brown and the whole cake will feel firm. You can set your oven to broil and let cook about 3 – 4 minutes for a crispier crust; reduce baking time by 5 minutes if you do this.

*Overnight Oats

Pour 2 cups of plain rolled oats in a container with a lid (I use empty yogurt containers to make sure I get the big of yogurt on the sides.  Add 1/4 cup of *insert flavor choice here* unsweetened cocoa powder and another 1/4 to 1/2 cup of *insert second add-in or more of the first choice here* flour/powder of your choice.   Add 12 – 18 drops of plain or vanilla NuNaturals liquid stevia or 2 – 3 packets of NuNaturals Stevia Powder and a dash of sea salt. Mix the dry ingredients and add water until it reaches the top of the oats.  Stir to combine making sure the powders are well incorporated, close the container and let sit in the fridge for at least four hours and up to 5 days; it won’t last that long though.

What happens when you let your spous try a "bite"

This cake is mighty tasty on its own; try smearing peanut or any other nut butter on top for the ultimate nutty cake! Of course, banana and peanut butter are great together and would be delicious mashed with cinnamon and smeared on top.  Try your favorite spread and let me know what you come up with.

What?  You want to try the Chobani Greek Yogurt Icing?  Ok, it’s extremely easy; just like this entire recipe…..

Chobani Greek Yogurt Icing

■2 cups plain, non-fat Chobani Greek Yogurt; I used a big container of Chobani and just mixed everything inside so no extra dish was needed.

Peanut flour with a little cinnamon....great combo!

Just add one of the following to your Chobani for desired flavor:

-          1/2 cup peanut flour for peanut butter icing

-          1/2 cup vanilla protein powder (preferably stevia sweetened) and 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

-          1/2 cup chocolate protein powder (preferably stevia sweetened) and 6 drops NuNaturals Cocoa Bean Extract

-          1 very ripe mashed banana and 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

-          1/2 cup pumpkin puree, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger and nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp cloves

Everything mixed and ready to frost...or ice....you pick!

All of these flavors for icing are soooo good and easy.  Any icing variation is also healthy enough to be eaten by itself without worries ….I’m guilty!

Do you like things iced or frosted or do prefer food without added toppings?  Whether you do or don't this oatmeal cake will become a favorite for either preference.

Reminder: Only one day left to enter for your chance to win NuNaturals Stevia products!

Quick and Healthy Cakes for Dinner

No, not the fluffy sweet versions; I’m talking about mini tuna (or salmon, crab, chicken, beans, etc.) cakes you can customize to your liking. Do you like crab cakes? I love crab, but if you haven’t noticed, crab can be pretty expensive and canned tuna or salmon works just as fine for lower a cost. Plus the crab cakes at restaurants are usually cooked in too much butter/oil and white breadcrumbs….no thanks.

I was inspired to make my own version after reading about a salmon cake recipe in Runner’s World Magazine. The versatility of the ingredients makes the cakes easy to accommodate multiple tastes (i.e. spouse, kids, etc.). Along with the versatility, the ingredients are commons staples most of us have around the kitchen already.

Here is what I used to make one of our work lunches for the week; this will serve about 4 people as long as there are sides:

Ingredients

- 2 (5oz) Cans of No Salt Added Tuna; use crab, chicken, mashed beans, etc if you don’t have the tuna

- About 8oz of your favorite salsa; the amount varies, just eyeball it and add more towards the end if needed

- 1/2 cup frozen spinach or collard greens; thawed and drained of excess water

- 2 tablespoons brown mustard

- 1 whole egg or 2 egg whites

- 1/2 to 3/4 cup rolled oats

- 2 teaspoons cumin

- Ground black pepper to taste; no need for salt as there should be enough in the salsa and mustard

- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne; I use more (sorry, Kelley), just adjust as you would like

- 1 tablespoon dried cilantro

Directions

- Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

- Add all ingredients in a bowl and mix to incorporate well. Scoop the mix into a lightly oiled 12 cup muffin pan (I used 9 of the 12 cups) and bake in the pre-heated oven for 20 minutes.

 

- Remove from oven (should have a nice brown crust on top) and let cool in pan for 5 to 10 minutes.

- Top each cake with extra salsa and a sprinkle of smoked paprika. Serve with a big side of steamed veggies and, if desired, your grain of choice.

 

Using oats provides a lot more nutrition than the usual breadcrumbs you see in most recipes, and salsa makes for adding a quick mix of tomatoes, peppers, and onions. If you have more time, add fresh cut bell peppers and sauté some onions and garlic before adding to your mixture. If you don’t use salsa, adding a little extra salt will help with flavor…just not too much!

1 Work Lunch Ready to Go!

These are a great weeknight meal idea for something different. Just make extras and bring to work for lunch the next day…perfect! And, as I mentioned before, there is no set recipe for this. I used ingredients representative of Spanish food, but I think next time will be something Greek themed. Instead of salsa and brown mustard, I think Dijon mustard, white wine vinegar, and dill would make for a totally different, yet still tasty….errr cake.

Do you have a good idea for ingredients to make your own mini cake? Please post to comments on your version if you feel like sharing.