Brownies that are a healthy treat? NO WAY!
Friday, September 3, 2010
I was watching The Doctors at the beginning of the week and they had featured a celebrity chef named Rocco DiSpirito who wrote the book Now Eat This! who was on the show to talk about how to get your kids to eat healthier meals. I listened intensely, believe me.
I am a fat kid. I am also a self-proclaimed sweets addict, majoring in chocolate consumption.(haha). Brownies are a delicacy in my house, most likely because I inhale them. BIG MISTAKE. One moment on the lips....forever on the hips.
So this guy is taking about brownies, so I clearly glaze over and stare at the television. He's talking about making brownies HEALTHIER. I then almost fell off the couch in disbelief. Just kidding kids, just letting you know HOW excited this recipe made me!
BROWNIES MADE WITH BLACK BEANS? Ew. Nast. That was my first comment. Then I thought...hmm... I like beans...and brownies, usually separately...but what would it hurt to try? SO I did! and boy was I surprised! These brownies don't have the flakiness of other flour-based brownies, but they fill that little chocolate lovers hole, and made me happy!
Check out the recipes that he featured on the show. NOTE, I can vouch for the lovely brownies, but I added pecans and coconut to mine (coconut on the top of brownies), I am going to try the chicken and the cauliflower when I have time!
Flash-Fried Finger-Lickin’ Chicken
Ingredients:
• 3 cups low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth
• Salt
• 4 skinless, bone-in chicken thighs
• 2 quarts grapeseed oil
• 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
• 1 ½ teaspoons celery salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 cups low-fat buttermilk
Directions:
1. Heat the chicken broth in a medium saucepot over high heat, seasoning it generously with salt. Add the chicken thighs to the pan and bring the broth to a simmer. Cover, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer gently until the chicken is tender, about 40 minutes. Remove the thighs from the liquid, pat them dry, and set them aside on a platter; cover with foil to keep them warm.
2. While the chicken is cooking, pour the grapeseed oil into a large pot with high sides, and bring it to 400 degrees F over high heat. Set a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet or over several layers of paper towels (for draining the chicken). In a shallow dish, combine the flour with the paprika, celery salt, black pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, and the cayenne. Use a whisk to thoroughly combine the ingredients.
3. Combine the warm chicken thighs with the buttermilk in a large bowl, coating them completely. Dredge the thighs in the seasoned flour. Then dip the thighs in the buttermilk and dredge them in the seasoned flour once more, to double-coat the chicken. Shake off any excess flour.
4. Fry the chicken, 2 pieces at a time, in the hot oil until deep golden brown, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Drain on the wire rack, and serve immediately.
Brownies (cut into twelve pieces, 53 cals each!)
Ingredients:
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 ½ cups canned black beans, rinsed and drained
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon espresso powder
• ¾ cup egg substitute
• 2 tablespoons low-calorie sugar-free chocolate syrup, such as Walden Farms
• 2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream, such as Breakstone’s
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 24 packets Truvia (84 g) or 8 tablespoons granulated Splenda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extractDirections:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8×8-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Combine the beans, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and egg substitute in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl halfway through.
3. Add the chocolate syrup, sour cream, butter, Truvia, and vanilla. Process until all of the ingredients are combined, about 1 minute.
4. Pout the batter into the prepared baking dish, and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, turning the dish halfway through the baking time. A toothpick inserted in the center will come out with soft batter clinging to it.
5. Let the brownies cool completely in the baking dish on a wire rack. Then cut into 12 squares and serve. Refrigerate any leftovers.
Better Than Mashed “Potatoes” 48 cals per cup!
Ingredients:
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 2 ½ cups roughly chopped cauliflower
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ½ Greek yogurt
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray it with cooking spray.
2. Spread the cauliflower out on the prepared baking sheet. Season it with salt and pepper to taste. Top the cauliflower with another sheet of foil, and roll up the edges to form a sealed package.
3. Roast the cauliflower for 20 minutes. Remove the top foil, being careful of the steam, and continue roasting the cauliflower until it is tender, another 15 to 20 minutes.
4. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the cauliflower with the yogurt. Puree until the mixture is smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste, if desired, and serve.
I am a fat kid. I am also a self-proclaimed sweets addict, majoring in chocolate consumption.(haha). Brownies are a delicacy in my house, most likely because I inhale them. BIG MISTAKE. One moment on the lips....forever on the hips.
So this guy is taking about brownies, so I clearly glaze over and stare at the television. He's talking about making brownies HEALTHIER. I then almost fell off the couch in disbelief. Just kidding kids, just letting you know HOW excited this recipe made me!
BROWNIES MADE WITH BLACK BEANS? Ew. Nast. That was my first comment. Then I thought...hmm... I like beans...and brownies, usually separately...but what would it hurt to try? SO I did! and boy was I surprised! These brownies don't have the flakiness of other flour-based brownies, but they fill that little chocolate lovers hole, and made me happy!
Check out the recipes that he featured on the show. NOTE, I can vouch for the lovely brownies, but I added pecans and coconut to mine (coconut on the top of brownies), I am going to try the chicken and the cauliflower when I have time!
Flash-Fried Finger-Lickin’ Chicken
Ingredients:
• 3 cups low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth
• Salt
• 4 skinless, bone-in chicken thighs
• 2 quarts grapeseed oil
• 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
• 1 ½ teaspoons celery salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 cups low-fat buttermilk
Directions:
1. Heat the chicken broth in a medium saucepot over high heat, seasoning it generously with salt. Add the chicken thighs to the pan and bring the broth to a simmer. Cover, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer gently until the chicken is tender, about 40 minutes. Remove the thighs from the liquid, pat them dry, and set them aside on a platter; cover with foil to keep them warm.
2. While the chicken is cooking, pour the grapeseed oil into a large pot with high sides, and bring it to 400 degrees F over high heat. Set a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet or over several layers of paper towels (for draining the chicken). In a shallow dish, combine the flour with the paprika, celery salt, black pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, and the cayenne. Use a whisk to thoroughly combine the ingredients.
3. Combine the warm chicken thighs with the buttermilk in a large bowl, coating them completely. Dredge the thighs in the seasoned flour. Then dip the thighs in the buttermilk and dredge them in the seasoned flour once more, to double-coat the chicken. Shake off any excess flour.
4. Fry the chicken, 2 pieces at a time, in the hot oil until deep golden brown, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Drain on the wire rack, and serve immediately.
Brownies (cut into twelve pieces, 53 cals each!)
Ingredients:
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 ½ cups canned black beans, rinsed and drained
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon espresso powder
• ¾ cup egg substitute
• 2 tablespoons low-calorie sugar-free chocolate syrup, such as Walden Farms
• 2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream, such as Breakstone’s
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 24 packets Truvia (84 g) or 8 tablespoons granulated Splenda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extractDirections:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8×8-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Combine the beans, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and egg substitute in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl halfway through.
3. Add the chocolate syrup, sour cream, butter, Truvia, and vanilla. Process until all of the ingredients are combined, about 1 minute.
4. Pout the batter into the prepared baking dish, and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, turning the dish halfway through the baking time. A toothpick inserted in the center will come out with soft batter clinging to it.
5. Let the brownies cool completely in the baking dish on a wire rack. Then cut into 12 squares and serve. Refrigerate any leftovers.
Better Than Mashed “Potatoes” 48 cals per cup!
Ingredients:
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 2 ½ cups roughly chopped cauliflower
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ½ Greek yogurt
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray it with cooking spray.
2. Spread the cauliflower out on the prepared baking sheet. Season it with salt and pepper to taste. Top the cauliflower with another sheet of foil, and roll up the edges to form a sealed package.
3. Roast the cauliflower for 20 minutes. Remove the top foil, being careful of the steam, and continue roasting the cauliflower until it is tender, another 15 to 20 minutes.
4. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the cauliflower with the yogurt. Puree until the mixture is smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste, if desired, and serve.
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