Tag Archives: Baking with Toddlers

Healthier Hello Dolly Bars

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I haven’t had much time to bake lately, much less take pictures and blog about it!  BUT…I had a client reschedule this past weekend, and I knew it would make Maya super happy if we made something together, so…we did!

I’d been dying to try Feasting on Fruits “Vegan Magic Cookie Bars” recipe ever since I saw her post it on Instagram.  The originals are my husband’s all time favorite bar cookie, so I couldn’t wait to try a healthier version.

While they are not as ooey gooey and decadent as the original version, they are really good!  I got a thumbs up from all the taste testers, including grandparents, teenage stepson, Maya, AND the Huz!

What you need…

ALMOND CRUST OPTION (she posts an oat crust option too)

What to do…

  • Preheat the oven to 350F and grab a cute assistant 😉

  • For the almond crust, combine the almond flour and maple syrup in a bowl. Mix to create a sticky and clumpy dough that holds together when pressed. Add 1 tbsp water if it seems too dry.

  • Press the crust into an 8x8baking dish  lined with parchment paper (I didn’t have any, so I just greased the pan). Bake for 10 minutes at 350F. Remove from the oven and cool for at least 10 minutes.

  • While the crust is cooling, blend the bananas until smooth.

  • Pour the banana puree on top of the crust.

  • Sprinkle on the chocolate chips, nuts, and coconut. Gently press down until the banana puree rises up covering everything.

  • Bake for 35 minutes at 350F.

  • Cool then chill (she said to do it overnight, but we ate them later that evening!)

    Enjoy!

    dit-elle-Lauren

 

Blackberry Lemon Pudding Cakes

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I made Lemon Pudding Cakes for dessert on Easter, and they were DELICIOUS!!

SO…I decided to make them again the other night when we had some friends over.  I shook it up a little and incorporate some blackberries that Maya and I picked earlier that day.Blog Blackberry lemon pudding cakes-1 Blog Blackberry lemon pudding cakes-2 Blog Blackberry lemon pudding cakes-3

What you need…

  • 3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1/3 Cup All-Purpose Flour
  • 3 large eggs (separated)
  • 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter (room temp)
  • 1 Cup Whole Milk
  • 1 Teaspoon Finely Grated Lemon Zest
  • 1/3 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice and Blackberry Juice ( just strained a handful of berries and then filled the rest of the 1/3 Cup with lemon juice 🙂
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • 3 Teaspoons Turbinado or Some Other Coarse Sugar

What to do…

  • Heat oven to 350° F.
  • Place six 4-ounce ramekins into a 9×13 Pyrex dish.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and flour; set aside.
  • In a second medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and butter until combined.
  • Whisk in the milk and lemon zest and juice. Add the lemon mixture to the sugar mixture and whisk until smooth.
  • Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites and salt on medium-high until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes.
  • In 3 additions, gently fold the egg whites into the lemon-sugar mixture.
  • Divide the pudding mixture among the ramekins (about 3/4 of a cup each). Dividing evenly, sprinkle with the turbinado sugar.
  • Refrigerate for a couple of hours if you have the time.
  • To the roasting pan, add just enough hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
  • Bake until the tops are golden brown.  I accidentally undercooked mine at 35 minutes, and honestly the general consensus was that was a happy accident.  Original recipe says to cook for 40-45.
  • Take out of the pan and let cool on a rack.
  • Here’s what I would do again, but didn’t have time to do this time, which is why the pudding and cake aren’t as separately defined.  I refrigerated the cakes for a few hours before cooking and the pudding was creamy and the top cake was solid but moist.  Also, you can eat them right away, and it will be more like a lemon molten cake.  To each his own, but cold lemon sounded better to me. 🙂
  • Can make one large cake (probably best in an 8×8 pan).  If you do that cook for 30-35 minutes.

For reference, here’s what the original lemon cakes looked like that I refrigerated for a few hours before baking.  A definite distinction between the pudding and the cake.  Blog Real Simple Lemon Pudding Cakes-3Either way…still so good!

Enjoy!!  We did! 🙂dit-elle-Lauren

Lemon Pudding Cakes

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We made these for dessert on Easter, and they were SO GOOD!!!  While I wouldn’t call these necessarily healthy, they really were surprisingly light and refreshing!  The flavor was amazing too!

I acctually tore this recipe from my Real Simple magazine back in April of 2012.  Yes…I still collect and keep magazine tear outs (even in this Pinterest driven day!!)  I didn’t deviate from the original recipe with the exception of accidentally undercooking them-which I will do again when I make them next time.  It was a huge hit.Blog Real Simple Lemon Pudding Cakes-1 Blog Real Simple Lemon Pudding Cakes-2If this next image doesn’t make your mouth water, I don’t know what will!  And those cute little fingers?  Maya was such a good assistant! Blog Real Simple Lemon Pudding Cakes-3

What you need…

  • 3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1/3 Cup All-Purpose Flour
  • 3 large eggs (separated)
  • 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter (room temp)
  • 1 Cup Whole Milk
  • 1 Teaspoon Finely Grated Lemon Zest
  • 1/3 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • 3 Teaspoons Turbinado or Some Other Coarse Sugar

What to do…

  • Heat oven to 350° F.
  • Place six 4-ounce ramekins into a 9×13 Pyrex dish.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and flour; set aside.
  • In a second medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and butter until combined.
  • Whisk in the milk and lemon zest and juice. Add the lemon mixture to the sugar mixture and whisk until smooth.
  • Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites and salt on medium-high until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes.
  • In 3 additions, gently fold the egg whites into the lemon-sugar mixture.
  • Divide the pudding mixture among the ramekins (about 3/4 of a cup each). Dividing evenly, sprinkle with the turbinado sugar.Blog Real Simple Lemon Pudding Cakes-4
  • I chose to refrigerate mine for a few hours, but you don’t have to.  If you do, the batter will separate, like above, and the end result will be that creamy pudding at the base, and light fluffy cake on top.  If you don’t have time, the separation will be less noticeable, but still delicious!!  Seen in a slightly different variation when I had less time here. 🙂
  • To the roasting pan, add just enough hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
  • Bake until the tops are golden brown.  I accidentally undercooked mine at 35 minutes, and honestly the general consensus was that was a happy accident.  Original recipe says to cook for 40-45.
  • Take out of the pan and let cool on a rack.Blog Real Simple Lemon Pudding Cakes-5
  • I refrigerated mine for a few hours after cooking and the pudding was firm and the top cake was moist.  You can eat them right away, and it will be more like a lemon molten cake.  To each his own, but cold lemon sounded better to me. 🙂
  • Can make one large cake (probably best in an 8×8 pan).  If you do that cook for 30-35 minutes.

You can find the original recipe here.

Enjoy!!  We did! 🙂Blog Real Simple Lemon Pudding Cakes-6dit-elle-Lauren

4 Ingredient Healthy Banana Maple Sunbutter Mini Muffins!

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Every once in a while, I stumble upon a food blogger than not only makes me want to make every single recipe they post, but also…makes me die laughing!

One of those would be Arman, from The Big Man’s World.

I finally dove in on his Healthy 4 Ingredient Chunky Banana Bread, but subbed out the almond butter for Sun Butter (I have a bit of a nut intolerance and with most schools being nut free now, it’s all we eat + YUM!)

I made them into mini muffins instead of a loaf, because…portion control 😉  He is totally right.  The texture is gooey deliciousness!!  I mean, is there ever an adjective that makes you want to dive into a dessert other than “gooey”???!!  No. 🙂Blog 4 Ingredient Paleo Banana Maple SunButter Mini Muffins-1 Blog 4 Ingredient Paleo Banana Maple SunButter Mini Muffins-2 Blog 4 Ingredient Paleo Banana Maple SunButter Mini Muffins-3What you need… (made 19 mini muffins)

  • 3 cups overripe banana, mashed roughly
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour, sifted
  • 1/2 cup smooth Sun Butter (can sub for any nut butter, if you’d like)
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup

What to do…

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease mini muffin tins
  • In a large mixing bowl mash bananas til they are smooth with a few chunks.
  • Add in sifted coconut flour, sun butter, and maple syrup.  If spills occur, guess on how much more to add 😉  Blog 4 Ingredient Paleo Banana Maple SunButter Mini Muffins-6 Blog 4 Ingredient Paleo Banana Maple SunButter Mini Muffins-7 Blog 4 Ingredient Paleo Banana Maple SunButter Mini Muffins-8
  • Lick the measuring cup…oh, wait 🙂  BUT…the great thing about only 4 ingredients (with no eggs!) is that you totally CAN lick the spoon and measuring cup worry free!  Although, let’s be real.  In my day, I made cookie dough with eggs and ate so much dough while making them, that I didn’t even want the cookies. 😉 I turned out just fine, but…whatever.  Play it safe, no?Blog 4 Ingredient Paleo Banana Maple SunButter Mini Muffins-4 Blog 4 Ingredient Paleo Banana Maple SunButter Mini Muffins-5
  • Spoon out about 1/4 cup into each mini tin.  Or, if you want to make regular muffins, until they look like this.  They don’t rise much.Blog 4 Ingredient Paleo Banana Maple SunButter Mini Muffins-9
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden on top. Remove from oven and allow to sit until completely cool. Blog 4 Ingredient Paleo Banana Maple SunButter Mini Muffins-10Enjoy!dit-elle-Lauren

 

Healthy Popcorn Balls

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I’ll admit.  I didn’t think anything could replace ooey gooey sticky sugary marshmallows for popcorn balls, BUT….these are so dang good!  No refined sugar, yet naturally sweetened with Raw Honey-YUM!!  Oh, and 3 ingredients for the WIN!!Blog Paleo Healthy Popcorn Balls-5 Blog Paleo Healthy Popcorn Balls-6 Blog Paleo Healthy Popcorn Balls-7What you need… (made 15 balls)

  • 10 Cups of Popcorn (ok, so I cheated and used Skinny Pop)  Yes, I could have easily popped my own, and it’s SO unlike me to pay more for something I can do myself.  This is the exception.  I eat it everyday, and being able to just pour some into my bowl in 15 seconds?  WORTH EVERY PENNY!  And, it only has 3 ingredients too, so… :))  Oh, and 10 cups is a rough guestimate when you have a toddler reaching in and eating as we went… 😉
  • 1/4 Coconut Oil
  • 1/2 Raw Honey

What to do…

  • Melt coconut oil and honey together in a saucepan.Blog Paleo Healthy Popcorn Balls-1
  • Drizzle over the bowl of popcorn, stirring as you go.  Then get down and dirty with your hands to make sure all the popcorn is evenly coated.Blog Paleo Healthy Popcorn Balls-2
  • Put the bowl into the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes to let it cool/solidify a little.
  • Scoop out in 1/2 scoops and really pack them into the balls.  They are still a little crumbly, and you need to reeeeeeally pack them.  I tried to let Maya help, but it really was more for her to feel included.  Hers just kept falling apart…aka…she ate as she packed. 😉Blog Paleo Healthy Popcorn Balls-3
  • Refrigerate until you eat, and enjoy!! Blog Paleo Healthy Popcorn Balls-4Check back, because I made the cutest little DIY edible craft out of these.  I honestly couldn’t believe it turned out exactly like I pictured in my head-that RARELY happens haha! 🙂

Enjoy!dit-elle-Lauren