Healthy Fudgy GF Brownies.... Seriously!!

All I really know of Jillian Michaels is that her Yoga Meltdown DVD can kick your ass!

And now I also know that the girl really knows how to make a delicious brownie!  And they are healthy to boot!

Of course I had to fudge her recipe a bit to make it gluten free, but that's no biggie.

Healthy Fudgy GF Brownies

Ingredients

coconut oil cooking spray
2/3 cup mild honey
1/3 cups natural, unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup GF all-purpose flour mix (I use Sarah's over at Sarah Bakes Gluten Free)
1/4 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large egg, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8-inch square pan with oil. Set aside.  Place the honey in a large glass measuring cup. Microwave on high until the honey is runny and just bubbling (45-60 seconds). Add the cocoa and stir until well combined. Let cool to room temperature.  Meanwhile, in a small bowl, place the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until well combined.  In a large bowl, combine the applesauce, oil, egg, and vanilla. Whisk together until well blended. Add the honey-cocoa mixture and whisk until smooth. Add the flour mixture to the liquid mixture and stir until no traces of flour remain. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the surface looks dry around the edges of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it, about 25 minutes. Do not overbake. Place the pan on a cooling rack and let cool completely before slicing.
(Store the brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.)
Makes 16 (2-inch) brownies



According to Jillian each brownie has only 86.2 calories, and 2.2 grams of fat.  (Now I don't know how much that changes with using the GF flour instead of the wheat flour... but it can't be all that much.)


Now just because these are healthy does NOT mean you can eat the whole pan!  I had to keep reminding myself of that!  Oh well, there's always that Yoga Meltdown DVD :)

What's Filling My Cooler All Summer Long?!

It is beautiful out today!!  I can finally feel that summer is really on its way!  Thank GOD!!

With this beautiful weather comes pool parties, cookouts, picnics, and bonfires!   You can't really show up to any of the above without a cooler full of drinks.  I don't know about you guys but there is something I love about being able to grab a bottle out a cooler like everyone else gets to do!  It makes me feel a little more normal to hold that bottle in my hand and be able to lazily take a sip of it! Is that just me?

It's hard finding something gluten free that is easy to just grab a bottle and sip without wincing!  A lot of the gluten free beer on the market is just down right disgusting.  And for some of it, the true gluten free status is questionable..... no thank you!  There is always cider... but some of that is just way to sweet for me.  And if sweetness isn't a problem, there is always that simple fact that it is usually very heavy and filling.  I can only end up drinking one, maybe two max.... until now!




I was at my local Hy-Vee and one of the nice guys in the liquor department said I needed to taste this seasonal cider, and that I would end up buying a whole case!

At first I was skeptical because it was Cider Boys, and I didn't like their Magic Apple (Strawberry flavor).  But this was called Peach County, and I love peaches so I said what's the harm in tasting it?   He cracked a bottle open for me and oh my goodness... It was love at first taste.   Well turned out the harm was to my bank account because now I'm obsessed!

I don't even know how to describe to you how delicious it is.  It is light, not too sweet, but has a distinct peach flavor.  It is basically summer in  bottle!  And thanks to my Mama and Papa who were with me,  I did end up leaving with a whole case as part of my birthday present!  I keep passing bottles out to my friends telling them that they NEED to try it!  Guess I will be needing another case ASAP!

A Vitamix For My Birthday!!

Isn't she pretty!?

 I have been lusting after one of these babies for quite a while, but I just couldn't bring myself to spend the money when I had a perfectly good blender already.  I'm sure I will soon realize that that "good" blender really wasn't so good and not at all perfect in comparison to my newest toy.

I use my blender almost every morning to make my green smoothies.  And then there is always the never ending pitchers of margaritas and other frozen cocktails that I whip up to think about too.  Salsas, hummus, dressings... the list goes on.  I can also make my own flours and my own almond or coconut milk! 

I'm beyond excited for how smooth it will blend my smoothies.   My GI Doc tells me that because of my supercool immune system and it's lymphocytic colitis I shouldn't be having a lot of fiber, especially in the form of fresh fruits and veges.  Well I don't like that kinda talk!  I feel like garbage if I don't get all those good nutrients into my broken GI system somehow.  This way my blender will do all the digesting for me and I can just absorb all the good stuff without all the work for my tummy!  (He thought about getting me a juicer, but knew I wouldn't use it as much if I had to clean all those parts!)

 I think my new Vitamix will soon become the most loved part of my kitchen.

Being a Vitamix virgin, I am not yet aware of all the superpowers the machine possesses.  Do you guys and gals have a Vitamix?   What's your favorite thing to use it for?