I love posts that have the labels “chocolate” and “vegetables” together. Sometimes it seems my main goal in life is figuring out how to fit chocolate into every meal.

Still working on it.

Chocolate-covered broccoli probably wouldn’t go over well with my crew. Or would it..

Back to reality!

I made this cake last night because

a) we had nothing sweet in the house to consume (????)

b) we have a fridge bursting with garden produce

c) I need chocolate to survive.

I really want to say this cake is healthy, but it would be more accurate to say it is healthier than most cakes. It has lots of ingredients I deem healthy (zucchini, olive oil, greek yogurt, whole wheat flour), but also a few of the usual suspects like sugar and chocolate chips and butter (which I actually think is not so bad if you get it from a good source- we need good fats, people!). If you are feeling like a super-healthy person, I’m sure you could sub out the sugar for another sweetener and switch out anything else you don’t like, but it will probably taste less like cake and more like a chocolate-flavored brick. But, by all means- eat, drink and make chocolate bricks if that’s your thing.

I’m going to be real and tell you the reason I didn’t photograph the full cake is because I cut two giant slices for the hubs and I to eat not more than 10 minutes after it was out of the oven. Hot chocolate cake with smooth chocolate ganache running down the sides is like a big chocolate party in your mouth. For research purposes only (ahem), I tried it at room temperature today- it was still tasty, but I could tell it was losing a little moisture (due to all that healthiness inside). This can surely be remedied with another batch of ganache. Or some ice cream. Or a giant glass of cold, cold milk.

Raise a glass of raw milk and get your forks. Here’s to your health!

(Recipe adapted from Buttered Up.)

Recently, I’ve been getting into baking full-size cakes. It seems like there are never enough occasions that call for a big, beautiful cake. After having my cupcake business in Ohio, I am much more inclined to bake cakes than cupcakes now (like the rainbow cake and the strawberry cake).

Since I was experimenting with beets last week (see my sweet beet pancakes), I wanted to try out Joy the Baker‘s beet cake recipe that I’d been eyeing for a while. The recipe is similar to a basic chocolate cake with the addition of grated beets into the batter and the frosting- not too much extra effort to try something new and different.

As the beets were in the oven, I was getting a little nervous- my house was smelling like roasted dirt. But apparently, that’s normal when you’re dealing with beets. Smells were deceiving in this case- the cake certainly does not taste like dirt. Each chocolate-filled bite is strangely light and dense at the same time. You’ll have to bake it to see what I mean.

I served this cake to guests and didn’t reveal the secret ingredient until after. Everyone seemed pleasantly surprised.. or maybe just relieved that it wasn’t something worse than beets.

Oh, how the times have changed.

If you told me five years ago that I’d be recommending that you eat beets in any form, I would have laughed in your face. But here I am, about to tell you why you need to make beet pancakes- and soon.

This weekend, I had my first experience cooking with beets. Hubs brought home four beets for me from our farmer (Hilton) and I knew it was time to experiment. Is it weird that I am not ready to eat a plain roasted beet, and that I’d rather put it in a pancake first? Weird or not, that’s what I did. I roasted those babies up, trimmed and pureed them (all with GLOVED hands, which I highly recommend unless you want stained beet fingers), and mixed them up into my batter.

The verdict? Sweet and delicious. Hubs thought they could use a little extra syrup, but I didn’t think the earthiness of the beets came on too strong. The little guy enjoyed them, too (that means he actually took a few bites and didn’t run the other way asking for M-I-L-K).

If you’re new to beets, too, I would encourage you to start with this recipe. It’s a fairly safe introduction into the world of beets. Some day soon, I hope to face my fears and actually eat a beet on its own.. but until then, I’ll be sitting down to a plate of these sweet, pink cakes.

P.S. Like most pancake recipes, these are freezable!

Lesson learned so far in life with two babies: sometimes you will just need to make cookies.

In some ways, parenting two has been easier than I thought. I bounced back from the birth easier, I am actually able to get us all out of the house in a decent amount of time, I can manage them both by myself. Some days I think I’m doing pretty great at this mom thing. Other days, when one is screaming, then the other is screaming, then they’re both screaming.. well, cookies happen.

These cookies have been on my list to try for a long time. They didn’t turn out quite like Joy’s, but I like the changes I made and they sure are addicting. I love the addition of coconut to a basic chocolate chip cookie, but the browned butter and coconut oil mixture takes this one over the top. My cookies didn’t spread much, so I like to think of them as little nuggets of deliciousness (see recipe below for my thoughts on that).

So the next time you’re having one of those days with all the screaming, make these cookies after things quiet down. They’ll help you forget all about it.

If you’re craving something sweet, rustic and easy to put together, than this cookie will be calling your name.

Just looking at this iron skillet reminds me of summers spent at my family’s cabin- but that’s just nostalgia talking, since our typical treats up there were things like oatmeal pies and roasted marshmallows. But I think this cookie would be perfect on a cool night, curled up under the blankets.. maybe with a little ice cream on top for good measure.

I promise you won’t miss the white flour in this cookie recipe. I actually prefer the nuttiness of the whole wheat flour, not to mention the health benefits. This doesn’t exactly qualify as health food, though, don’t worry- there’s still plenty of butter and sugar involved to classify it as dessert.

You probably have most of the ingredients on hand in your pantry to make this. If you don’t keep whole wheat flour on hand, you should take the plunge! I can’t think of a better way to introduce yourself to whole wheat baking than with a giant chocolate chip cookie. Yum!

Good afternoon, earthquake survivors!  Seems like everyone is a little shook up today.  We didn’t feel it down here in GA, but if we had, I would certainly be celebrating survival with this crumb cake.

Truthfully, I made this crumb cake about 100 million years ago and forgot to post it.  I found the photos in my archive today and had to share with you.  This thing was really good.  I don’t remember where we ate it, or with who, but I remember it tasting just like the Starbucks coffee cake (which I love!).

It would be the perfect addition to a breakfast spread, great for an afternoon coffee break or as a sweet gift for a friend or neighbor.  Who wouldn’t be excited if you arrived at their door with this?

Ahhh.. so good.

I think it’s safe to say I’ll be making another one.

May is all supposed to be all about pies around here, my darlings.  I’m starting out with a bit of an unconventional pie post, though, just to keep things exciting for you.. with whoopie pies!

Have you heard about whoopie pies?  They kind of had a moment in the foodie world recently, and it seemed like everyone was making them.  This was crazy to me!  I grew up in Lancaster County, PA, the Amish capital and home of the best whoopie pies around.  As a kid, no one I met outside of CenPenn knew what they were.  Now they are super popular, and rightly so.  They are so good!

The typical flavors for whoopie pies that I remember from home are chocolate and cream, pumpkin with cream cheese, red velvet, and chocolate peanut butter.  We’d get them at bake sales or any of the good markets- Central Market in Lancaster City, Saturday’s Market or Root’s.  Man.. I’m getting nostalgic/hungry.

The cookies are the cakey type, so if you love cookies or cake or frosting, these are for you.  You really can’t go wrong with the red velvet and cream cheese combo, either.  There is a little effort involved if you want them to look good visually, but if you don’t care what they look like, the recipe is fairly straight-forward.

I must admit to you that I have some real Amish whoopie pie recipes, but I’m saving them up for later.  I liked what I saw on Annie’s Eats, and I think they turned out similar to my hometown type, but they aren’t quite perfect.  Guess I’ll just have to do some more experimentation/taste-testing..

What do you think about whoopie pies?  Are you on board or already over it?

I am a chewy chocolate chip cookie lover.  There is just something excellent about biting into a soft, gooey, melty cookie.  Sounds perfect already.. but add nutella, and I’ll eat the whole batch.

I’ve been a little light on the posting lately.  That’s mostly because I got burnt out on all the vegan business.  It took me a little time to get back into my normal routine.. I was not in the mood for any kitchen extravagance.  But these were too good not to share with you!

These little gems are easy to throw together and perfect with a glass of milk.  If you’re a nut person, you should try throwing in some chopped hazelnuts.  That might just take things over the top.  They’re great for crowds as well.

Ooh, and if you’re hoping these are vegan, they can easily be made so with Earth Balance margarine and vegan egg substitute.. wait, is Nutella vegan?  I have no idea. Forget all of that and revisit my vegan chocolate chip cookies.  (Just another reason I shouldn’t be a vegan.) Yikes.

‘Cause, you know.. sugar’s vegan. (Woo hoo!)

Breakfast was a peanut butter banana wrap with almond milk.

Lunch was the salad bar at Lane’s.

Snack was (too many!!) vegan chocolate chip cookies.

Dinner was leftover pasta.

Let me just tell you about this banana wrap.  I make this for breakfast ALL. THE. TIME.  It’s my go-to, seriously.  Thank goodness I can still eat it!  I usually use honey, but I can handle the small switch to agave nectar.  So, so easy and quick- a great snack, and a hit with the little ones.

And these chocolate chip cookies?  Hold the phone.  I didn’t know butter-less, egg-less cookies could be so yummy!  They remind me of my pumpkin chocolate chip giants without the pumpkin.  Where have these been all my life?  Someone restrain me.

Vegan baking can be pretty awesome.

I need more nutrients (even with all my vitamins above, haha).. I’m tired!  But that could also be all the running around after my baby, who knows.
The vegan trial is really making me think about what I’m putting in my mouth.  If I’m not sure, I won’t eat it, but if I’m sure, I might overdo it (seriously, someone hide the cookies).  I should really apply the discernment to my normal diet.

Recipes below..

This post is long overdue.

I am a granola person.  It’s just how I roll.  Not only that, but I’m a picky granola person.  I like my granola just so.  And maybe that’s why I’ve waited so long to make it for myself.  I wouldn’t want to force down a batch of bad granola.. yuck.

This granola is my jam!

 I’ll eat granola in just about any way- alone, with milk, with yogurt, in a banana wrap (we’ve discussed these, no?), in a cupcake (comment if you want me to post that recipe!), whatevs.  I love it.  My baby is super jealous of my granola-eating because it’s one of the things he just can’t have yet- it’s full of deliciously nutty nuts, chewy (chokeable) fruit and crunchy oats.  Certainly not baby-friendly, but definitely mommy-friendly.

I like this particular recipe for its heathfulness.  It uses applesauce and honey for sweetness and is just swimming with flax seeds, nuts and fruit.  I can’t wait to make another batch and try out other flavor combinations.  I’m thinking chocolate coconut.. or something with macadamia nut.. yum.

If you make your own granola, does that officially make you ‘Granola?’

I think it probably does.

I’m unofficially crunchy, officially granola.

Officially.