date coconut & banana granola

Oh my lanta, you guys. I'm so obsessed with granola. Since the first time I made it, I think it's quite clear I've become totally hooked. I just love everything about it... The process of throwing everything but the kitchen sink into a big 'ol bowl, the smell of everything baking together in the oven, the amount of variations you could make. It's all so magical. 

When I made this granola, I had no idea what kind it was going to be. I just kind of start off with a base of oats, honey, oil, and spices, then throw in whatever mixins I can scrounge up from the cupboard. The beauty of granola at it's finest. 

The combination of sweet coconut, chewy dates, and crunchy banana chips in this granola is definitely one of my favorites I've ever made. As for as texture, it's got a lot going on and is bulky enough to eat by the handful. But if you must be so refined as to eat it with a SPOON in a bowl with some milk or yogurt and fruit, that'd be dandy too. Either way, you get some stinking amazing granola! Win win. 

OOH one more thing. This recipe makes a kinda sorta midget batch of granola because I was aaaaaaaalmost out of oats. However, you still get a good couple bowls out of it and it's kind of nice not having a jar of sitting around for a week. Feel free to multiply the recipe though! The more granola the better!

date coconut & banana granola

1 c. oats

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil

3 tbsp. honey

1/3 c. coconut

1/2 c. pitted dates, roughly chopped

1/2 c. banana chips, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 350ºF and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl,  combine the oats, cinnamon, and coconut. Add in the olive oil, honey, and vanilla. Bake for 10 minutes and add the banana chips and dates. Bake for another 10-15 minute or until golden brown. Once cooled, store in an airtight container or jar. If desired, serve with milk or yogurt and fruit. 

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thick & creamy lemon coconut cheesecake squares

Lemon bars are one of my absolute favorite bars to make, especially in the summertime. The flavor is so refreshing, and packs a whole lot less richness than a pan of brownies if you know what I mean. I love desserts like this that are lightened up and more of a "girly" dessert. If that's a thing? Like scones and cupcakes. Girly desserts... I don't know. 

These bars have a super thick, chewy, and buttery crust. As you can tell.  Ah.ma.zing. At first, the crust  looked a little too gloopy and the cheesecake layer, a little too thin. I honestly though "Shoot. These bars are going to fail." Fail, they did NOT. They took quite awhile to set up, so don't worry if they look to liquidy when you take them out of the oven. Throw them in the fridge for a couple hours, do your best not to dig in with a fork {which I may or may not have done.}, and all will turn out fine and dandy. 

Everyone  LOVED these and said they were one of the best things I've made. Which is great, because I seem to be getting that a lot lately :) The whole pan was devoured in under 24 hours and my mom kept picking off the cheesecake part and eating only the crust. I have to say though, the crust was my favorite part. I used tea biscuits for the crust which have a slight coconutty flavor instead of graham crackers {I don't really have much of an option.} and then added some extra shredded coconut in there as well. I kept getting little chunks of cookie and coconut mixed with the creamy lemon cheesecake. Oh my heavenly. 

These lemon coconut cheesecake bars would be great as an Easter dessert. However, I suggest eating both the crust and the cheesecake. :)

thick & creamy lemon coconut cheesecake bars

crust

3/4 c. butter, melted

3 1/4 c. crushed tea biscuits {or graham crackers}

2 tbsp. granulated sugar

3 tbsp. shredded coconut

Prepare the dough by mixing all the ingredients together with a fork. It will seem slightly thin, but don't worry. Press the dough into a greased 9x13 in. pan and bake at 375ºF for about 10 minutes until slightly golden brown. 

cheesecake

2 c. plain cream cheese, softened

3/4 c. granulated sugar

2 eggs

juice + zest of one large lemon

In a large bowl, whisk together the cream cheese and sugar. Add in the eggs and lemon. Stir until smooth. Pour into the baked crust and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the edges are slightly browned and the center has set. Refrigerate for 2+ hours and cut into squares before serving. 

{skinny} brownie in a mug

Today was one of those days. Ya know... Lounging around in your pajamas literally ALL day. Pajamas to pajamas is how I roll. Skipping your run in the morning. Plopping your tush on the couch and taking quizzes, tests, and writing essays on the Eiffel Tower aaaaaaaaaaall the live long day. Did you know that the Eiffel Tower was sold as scrap by a con artist TWICE? I don't kid. 

It was also one of those OHMYGAWSHIWANTTOSHOVEVERYTHINGINSIGHTINMYFACE kinda days. I just kinda... grazed throughout the whole day. I had a normal breakfast. Ate two homemade energy bars while I was doing school. Had a carrot and hummus. Made this brownie. And then ate guacamole by the spoonful. That's how Sophie does it.

A few weeks ago, I came home from French and had a serious case of chocolategetinmymouth. I googled "healthy single serving brownie" and came across a recipe that claimed to be 100 calories. After I whipped it up, it ended up being approximately two tablespoons of batter. What kind of sick joke is this?! Not fair. 

I then proceeded to take matters into my own hands. Like usual. This brownie turned out SPECTACULAR, especially for being under 200 calories for the whole dang thing. It's perfect for when you're craving something chocolatey and fudgey without spending half your daily calorie count on a bowl or 5 of ice cream. Also. If you eat this for breakfast, I promise I won't judge. Imagine with some bananas on top. Or berries. Or peanut butter. Ooooooooooooooooor homemade whipped cream and chocolate sauce. Kinda defeats the whole skinny part of it, I guess.

{skinny} brownie in a mug

2 tbsp. wholewheat flour

2 tbsp. granulated sugar

1 1/2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

pinch of baking powder

1/4 tsp. vanilla

3 tbsp. plain yogurt

In a microwave safe bowl or coffee mug, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, and baking powder. Add in the yogurt and vanilla and stir until smooth. Microwave for about 1 minute. Depending on how gooey you like your brownie, you could microwave it for more or less since there's no egg in it. 

homemade muesli

Can we all agree that being sick is totally not fun? I'm pretty sure there isn't any questioning that, but hey jack {FREE CHOCOLATE CAKE IF YOU CAN NAME THAT SHOW}, I'm here to state the obvious. This week, I came down with a wicked cold. Ya know, you sound like a frog when you talk, your nose is running like Niagra Falls, you're coughing like nobody's bidness, and you're constantly sneezing your brains out? Yah, that. This is the life. 

For the first, oh I don't know, DAY, I was cool with skipping my morning run and taking the day off of school. But after day two. and three. and four. I was just about ready to lose my mind from being cooped up in the house so long and having to miss a week of my usual craziness. That aaaaaaaand I felt like a big fat whale on bed rest due to my FREAKISH amount of carb intake and lack of exercise. In case you didn't know, let me inform you of the sick person diet. It consists precisely of tacos. popcorn. ice cream. and crackers and peanut butter.

When I felt better, I ran {just kidding. not that great yet.} to the kitchen and decided a break from ice cream would be good. ENTER muesli. 

Did you guys know that there's a difference between muesli and granola? I had no idea this breakfast of the gods that is muesli even existed before I came to Africa. They have it in every grocery store and when we first got here, I thought, like everything else, it was just a weird "African name" for something I was familiar with. But- excuse me when I get all foodie slash nerd on you- muesli actually means "mush" in Swiss, because it's usually served "mushy" with milk or yogurt. Muesli was made in the early 1900's by a Swiss doctor who served his patients a diet that mainly consisted of grains. See, not only do I give you food, I teach you little nuggets of history. You're welcome.

Believe it or not, muesli is actually waaaaaaay easier AND healthier than my beloved granola. Literally, all you do is combine some coconut and oats on a cookie sheet, pop it in the oven to toast it for a few minutes, and then mix in whatever add ins your muesli loving heart so desires! That's it. It's healthier because unlike granola which has honey or sugar and oil in it- which ARE healthy sugars and fats... but they're still sugar and fat-  all muesli is is toasted oats, free of all that other stuff.

This recipe is SUPER quick, easier than anything else I've ever made, is as healthy as all get out, and supplies you with a big 'ol jar that will last you at least a couple days! I poured some muesli and milk in a little jar and popped it in the fridge overnight for breakfast the next morning. It was pretty mushy, but still had some crunch left from the raisins and sunflower seeds. I then topped it off with some yogurt and fresh fruit, and BOOM! You've got yourself one mightayy fine start to your day! Of course you don't have to soak the oats overnight. For minimum mush, just soak it 5-10 minutes in advance and you're good to go.

homemade muesli 

3 c. oats

3/4 c. coconut

1 tsp. nutmeg 

1 c. raisins

1 c. sunflower seeds

1 c. bran flakes

Preheat oven to 350ºF. On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, mix together the oats, coconut, and nutmeg. Bake for 10-15 minutes, mixing around every couple minutes or until golden brown. After it's toasted, add in the raisins, sunflower seeds, and bran flakes {or whatever mix ins you'd like.} Pour into an airtight container or jar. Serve with yogurt or milk and fresh fruit. 

homemade {3 ingredient} energy bars

 It seems like lately, all the appliances that are important in my life... 

Are breaking. 

Dying.

 Slowly perishing.

A couple weeks ago, I was minding my own business, whipping together one of my favorite smoothies {banana and spinach, mind you.} All of a sudden, 'ol Bess decided she didn't want to work. Her spinny choppy thing was spinny but not choppy. I don't dig it. I then proceeded to make my smoothie in a glass with a spoon. Yah that worked out reeeeeeeal great.

Then, on a super flipping hot day {which is pretty much like every day.} my fan decided he didn't want to work either. His days of blocking out all annoying sounds while I did school and cooling me down during the hot nights {ok, this is getting weird.} were over. Let me tell you... Africa with no fan? Not a situation you want to be in. It seems like no matter HOW many layers you shed, you're still dripping sweat. It's so unattractive and gross. Ugh. And the worst part is you can't ever escape it! Unless you go and take an ice bath... Which actually sounds quite appealing at the moment.

Awhile ago, I saw a recipe for 3 ingredient energy bars. 3 ingredients? Energy bars? Count me in! The recipe calls for blending everything together in a blender. But who has two thumbs and no blender? This girl. If you're looking for an arm workout, making energy bars by hand is a great way to work those muscles. Forget the resistance bands, just grab a cutting board and knife and you're good to go!

Unless of course, you have the modern luxuries of a blender, by all means, use it. They save you a lot of hurt and time. Trust me, I know these things.

Just a little note about these energy bars- They're super adaptable. I have some ideas formulating for tons of varieties. Feel free to use whatever mixins you'd like though! Chocolate chips, apricots, pistachios, it's up to you! Just make sure to have 1 part dates 1 part dried fruit and 1 part nuts.

homemade {3 ingredient} energy bars

1 c. pitted dates

1/2 c. mixed nuts

1/2 c. sunflower seeds

1/2 c. seedless raisins

1/2 c. cranberries

1 1/2 tbsp. organic honey

In a blender, blend all ingredients until a paste has formed. Press the mixture between two pieces of parchment paper in a pan . Refrigerate for at least a few hours or overnight. Cut into squares and wrap with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container. 

fudge brownie cupcakes with mocha ganache

I originally had plans to post a healthy recipe this week. But seriously, something containing dates and nuts can step aside. I knew the first time I bit into these cuppy cakes, sharing these with you was urgent, because once you stuff your face with these, you'll be thanking God for all things in life that are chocolate covered. Amen. 

I don't make cupcakes often because a) I feel like they involve too much time for just a subpar sweet. and b) I've never found a cupcake recipe that has wowed me. I'm usually just let down with a cake that's too dry, crumbly, and blah. 

I was watching Barefoot Contessa a couple weeks ago- well I actually watch it more like everyday- but this particular episode had me, I kid you not, dreaming chocolate filled dreams night after night. Ina made plain chocolate cupcakes with a chocolate ganache. They looked so simple, yet elegant and THAT is my kinda cake. She added instant coffee granules to the cake as well as the ganache to really bring out the chocolate flavor. 

I decided I didn't want any old chocolate cupcakes. I wanted something thick and fudgey, that you could really sink your teeth into. I turned to Sally's recipe for fudge brownie cupcakes and HOLY GOSH. Let me tell you, they did not disappoint. I'm really picky when it comes to cupcakes, and Sally's recipe totally changed my mind about dry crumbly cakes. {Thanks, Sally!}

Ok, so let's talk about the ganache. At first, it seemed way too liquidy. I followed all the directions, and proceeded to cover the cupcakes and refrigerate them. After awhile it firmed up and all was well in the world. I left out the coffee granules in the cake, but didn't hesitate to add it to the ganache. I found the ganache to actually have a pretty strong coffee flavor, hence the "mocha ganache". If you're not a huge fan, feel free to halve the amount of instant coffee for a more subtle flavor. 

These were some of my favorite cupcakes I have EVER eaten! Thank goodness they made only 8 cupcakes, because if there had been more, I'm pretty sure I would have gained 5 pounds over 2 days. Yay for friends and family who are as crazy about chocolate as I am!

 fudge brownie cupcakes with mocha ganache 
cupcakes adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction 

cupcakes

makes 9-12 cupcakes

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2  cup dark brown sugar
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line muffin tin with paper cups.

Melt butter in the microwave in a large microwave safe bowl. Mix in the sugar until smooth and microwave for about 1 minute. Stir the mixture until smooth again. Whisk in the vanilla and eggs. In a separate bowl, mix together the salt, baking powder, cocoa powder, and flour. Slowly add to the wet ingredients and stir until completely combined.

Fill the muffin tins about 2/3 full. Bake in the prepared muffin tin for about 8-10 minutes (mine took a little under 9 minutes). Allow to cool completely before topping with mocha ganache.

mocha Ganache

1 c. milk chocolate chips {you could use semi-sweet or dark as well}
1/2 c. full cream
1 tsp. instant coffee granules

Combine in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for about 30 seconds stirring every 10 seconds until smooth.