February 22, 2017
by Ashley
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Chocolate Cake Mix

My daughter received an Easy Bake Oven for her birthday last year, and was incredibily excited about it. She got a couple of packages of premade cakes that she went though quickly and we had some that were complete flops. Not only flops, but they were pretty disgusting with fake ingredients and fake colors. So I went on a mission to find a few recipes I could help her create with ingredients from home. Since we like to compare things, we made one cake in the Easy Bake Oven and one in my oven. My oven won the test, and my daughter is ok with the possibility of saying goodbye to the Easy Bake Oven.

We came out of the experiment with a usable cake mix that is easy for the kids to make and all you need to add is water.

Chocolate Cake Mix

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
4 tbsp unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1/3 cup coconut oil

In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients together until blended. Cut in coconut oil and mix until finely cut in. Done!

I save mine in a large glass ball jar with a reusable lid.

I usually make two cakes at a time, so measure out 2/3 cup of your cake mix and stir in 2 1/2 tablespoons of water (could use milk or almond milk). Mix well and pour into two buttered ramekins. Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes.

You could top these with frosting or add into the batter chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, candies or be creative.

February 20, 2017
by Ashley
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Boule vs. Miche

My husband got me a very fun present for Christmas this year. Flour. I know, not really that fun for most people, but I do love to bake bread (and eat it) and this gift was very unexpected. So he purchased First Clear flour, Italian flour, French flour and Irish Style flour. I usually make a boule from bread flour in the No-Knead Bread style. See the recipe I use below.

No-Knead Boule

3 cups bread flour
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
3/4 tsp yeast
1 1/2 cup warm water (120°F)

It is called no knead, but I put it all into my kitchen aid mixer with the hook attachment and mix it until it comes together to look like a loose dough. Then I pull all the sides together to form a small ball. Cover and let rest on the counter or in the oven. If it is really cold in my house, I will start to preheat the oven and turn it off quick so it is like a proofing box, but not hot, about 90°F. Let it sit all day. When you are an hour and a half away from dinner, turn the dough out onto a couche (floured towel would work too) and carefully form a small ball. I cover with the couche and leave until the oven is ready. Put a dutch oven (7 inch tall round dutch oven with cover) into the cold oven, and let that preheat as well. When the oven has reached 450°F put the timer on for 30 minutes to make sure the dutch oven is also ready and preheated.

When the oven is ready, transfer the bread using a floured board or sheet into the hot dutch oven. Cover and put dutch oven back into the oven for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake another 15 minutes.

Thats it! I make my normal boule at least once a week. It is crusty on the outside and has a nice soft crumb in the center.

My first attempt at a comparison was between my normal bread flour boule and the french boule. We liked both of them. The french flour was lighter and more delicate and I felt our normal boule was heartier.

Bread Flour vs. First Clear Flour

Here is what my breads turned out like. They were both great, made in the same way stated above and cooked in my dutch ovens as I directed.

The miche you can see is a little more dense and the regular bread flour boule turned out a little fluffier with larger holes in the crumb. They were both wonderful but I still prefer my original recipe with the bread flour I can buy in my local store.

February 17, 2017
by Ashley
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Socks for Paul

I started this post two years ago, when I was looking for a new knitting project. Not only did I finish these socks, but I have made a couple more pairs of socks for him as well. They are really warm and very comfy. I use sock yarn and four size 1 needles to knit these.

CO 68 (in a round with 3 small size 1 needles) Split the CO stitches evenly on the needles
k1,p1 for 15 rounds to make the cuff

Knit 60 rows

Heel

Row 1 – Sl, kl for 34 stitches
Row 2 – Sl, purl 33 stitches

Repeat for 16 times (for 32 rows)

Heel Turn

Row 1 – Sl, k17, ssk, k1 turn
Row 2 – Sl, p5, p2tog, p1, turn
Row 3 – Sl, k6, ssk, k1, turn
Row 4 – Sl, p7, p2tog, p1, turn
continue like this until you ssk and p2tog at the very end of heels

Gusset Decrease

Pick up 20 stitches and continue down the heel flap. Continue to knit around and pick up another 20 stitches on the instep. I split these stitches onto three needles. One for the bottom of the foot and the first 20 picked up stitches, all of the top of the foot stitches (34 stitches), and the last needle 20 instep stitches and the rest of the heel half.

Round 1 – Needle 1 – Knit to last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1. Needle 2 – knit all 34 stitches. Needle 3 – K1, ssl Knit the rest.
Round 2 – Knit

Continue these two rounds until there are 72 stitches.

Continue knitting around until foot measures desired length. For Paul’s foot which is a 9 1/2 to size 10 mens…I knitted 66 rounds.

Then start to decrease for the toe.

Round 1 – k1, ssk, k to 3 stitches from the end of the instep k2tog, k1. k1, ssk, k to 3 stitches of sole, k2tog, k1.
Round 2 – knit

Do this until you have 28 stitches left. Transfer stitches onto two needles and kitchener stitch the toe together and tie off.

Usually the sock is tight to begin with, but loosens up once it is worn and washed a few times.

February 16, 2017
by Ashley
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Carrot Soup

This is a wonderful soup for 0 smartpoints. Serves 4 – 6 people

Carrot Soup from French Women Don’t Get Fat
5 cups uncooked carrots
4 cups water
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp table salt
⅛ tsp ground black pepper

Chop up carrots and boil in 4 cups of water. Once tender, pureed in batched in a blender or with an immersion blender. Season with sugar, salt and pepper. Serve as is, or with a dollop of non-fat greek yogurt in the middle.

February 15, 2017
by Ashley
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Smashed Veggies

This is a wonderful side dish. Totally worth a try and easy to throw together on a busy night.

Smashed Veggies

2 large potatoes (16 oz)
10 oz uncooked cubed parsnips
2 medium uncooked carrots
2 tsp olive oil
1 Tbsp regular butter

Boil all vegetables together in a large saucepan in salted water. Drain once vegetables are tender. Use a potato smasher to mash the vegetables together. Add in oil and butter. Salt & pepper to taste.

Serve 6 people for 4 smartpoints a serving.

February 13, 2017
by Ashley
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Polenta

We like to have different startch options for dinner. Once in a while, I will make this instead of pasta or rice for a change of pace. The kids seem to like it as well. I have another recipe for polenta similar to this recipe on this blog as well. This recipe has been changed to have lower fat and be more inline with a weight watchers side dish.

Polenta

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
2 cups water
1 Tbsp regular butter
2 Tbsp low-fat cream cheese

In a saucepan, bring water and a pinch of salt to a boil. Once to a boil, vigorously whisk in cornmeal. Add butter and whisk. Turn heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add in cream cheese and whisk well.

Turn off heat. Stir again before serving. Serves 4 people for 4 points each serving.

February 10, 2017
by Ashley
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Hot Chocolate Fudge Cakes

I found this recipe years ago in my Cooking Light magazine and always return to it when I want a chocolatey treat. It is wonderful! Since starting weight watchers, it is also a lighter dessert that is “worth my points”. Meaning, I am willing to go over my point value for the day, if I get to have this. Many times I half this recipe and make only 6 desserts (baking only two at a time). If the kids are going to eat one of these, I usually skip the espresso/coffee powder.

Hot Fudge Chocolate

3/4 cup All Purpose Flour (3.4 ounces)
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
5 tsp regular instant coffee powder (I usually use instant espresso or it can be skipped)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
4 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2.6 ounce Dark chocolate
Measure and mix everything together except for the dark chocolate. Chop the chocolate. Carefully fold in chocolate chunks to the mixture and stir. Seperate out into 12 prepared ramekin. Refrigerate for 4 hours to 2 days. Arrange on a jelly roll pan to bake. Bake at 350°F for 18 minutes – until cakes are puffy and slightly crusty on top. Serve immediately.

Smartpoints 7

February 9, 2017
by Ashley
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Tomato Soup

I don’t know how many soups I have written about yet, but I think soup may be one of my favorite foods. It is so versatile. Hot, cold, sweet, savory, thick, thin….so many different options of flavors. The list can go on and on. My girlfriend once gave me a Zola diet tomato bisque recipe, and I have changed it some to make it a 0 point recipe to fit my eating. Add in meat, cream (if you like) or more vegetables.

Pictured here is the 0 pt. soup with a Chipotle Chicken Sausage cut up and put into make it to make it a more filling for lunch today.

Tomato Soup

1 can 28oz crushed tomatoes
1 14oz can diced tomatoes
6 green onions, finely chopped whites and light greens only (could sub one leeks)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
4 cups vegetable broth

On weight watchers, you are allowed to eat 2 tsp of a good healthy oil a day. I used 1 tsp olive oil to saute the green onions, but you could substitute that for cooking spray if you have used up your oil allotment for the day.

Back to the soup….Saute green onions for 1 minute. Add in the crushed and diced tomatoes. Season with the oregano and basil and let boil together for another minute. Pour in the vegetable broth and let simmer for 30 minutes covered on low. Before serving, stir in the vinegar and enjoy. This made 5 good portions.

February 8, 2017
by Ashley
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Rosettes

I have tried to lighten a lot of my recipes, and this is another one in the long line. Not only did I lighten it, but then I fried it. So I am not sure really how much that actually did for me, but at last I felt better about it.

My dad’s mom, Grandma Grace, always would make these special little fried cookies. They are like puffy, crunchy little doughnuts.

I made them on our recent “vacation” day. We decided we would pretend we were on vacation one Saturday recently. We got up, had these Rosettes for breakfast, went to the Children’s Museum, out for lunch, to an inside garden, out for Nitro Coffees (kids got a brownie) and then to the Memorial Union for a beer (kids played games). We topped it off with getting Poke take-away for us, and the kids got pasta when we got home. It was a real vacation and we were all happy with the day.

So here is the box and an example of what you can make from the batter. I make them all, but used the Timbale (cups) to make a dessert with the Greek Yogurt Cream and fruit.

Rosettes

2 eggs
1 tbsp sugar
1 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
1 cup All purpose Flour
1/4 tsp kosher salt

Put everything into a blender and blend. Pour into a shallow bowl. Heat at least 2 inches of vegetable oil to 325°F. Immerse the rosette cookie mold in the hot oil before using. Shake off the excess oil. Carefully place in the batter so the mold is covered but not over the top of the mold (otherwise the cookie can’t be removed from the mold). Immerse the mold again into the oil covering it completely. Let cook until the rosette slips off of the mold. It may need a little help to be removed.

That’s it! Shake a little powdered sugar over the cookies or leave them as is. The timbale molds I use to make a cup of the pastry. Then I like to make a tart like dessert out of topped with fruit.

February 8, 2017
by Ashley
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Greek Yogurt Cream

This is a great cream topping alternative. I use this a cream in a Rosette with fruit, Eclair, or over a camp biscuit for dessert. I bet frozen it could be a fun alternative to ice cream.

Greek Yogurt Cream Filling

1/2 cup Nonfat Greek yogurt
2 tsp powdered sugar
1 tsp lemon zest or lemon extract