Carrot-Oat Cake Bars

Who doesn't love a yummy, healthy snack?  This recipe was originally submitted from Whole Foods (best grocery store ever!!) and I figured I would try it out because I had been wanting to make a healthy recipe, since my family and I have had a little too many unhealthy things lately. (especially sweets....shocker, right?).  I love the hearty texture of this cake/bar.  It kind of reminds me of the Carrot Cake Lara Bar...only my recipe is wayyyy better.  The only fat in it is the coconut and nuts (which are healthy fats!), and a tiny bit of butter in the powdered sugar frosting - if you choose to use it. Everything else is made with extremely healthy ingredients!  This can be served for breakfast, dessert, or simply an anytime snack.  I had it warm for dessert with a powdered sugar frosting from my heavenly spice cake bars (found here) and at room temperature the next morning for breakfast with my healthy, yogurt glaze from my incredible, healthy carrot cake recipe (found here).  These bars only lasted a few hours in my house!  They are so perfect for on-the-go snacking as well!

Ingredients:

1 cup raisins

orange juice - enough to completely cover the raisins

Cooking spray 

1 cup rolled or quick cooking oats 

1 cup chopped nuts (I used almonds)

1 cup whole wheat flour 

2 teaspoons baking powder 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

2 cups grated carrots 

1/2 cup pure maple syrup 

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup sweetened finely shredded coconut 

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly oil a (9-inch) square baking pan with cooking spray and set it aside. 


Cover raisins with orange juice in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil, simmer for about 20 minutes, or until big and plump.  Drain and cool.


Pulse oats and nuts in a food processor until coarsely ground. Transfer to a large bowl. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt and mix well. In a second large bowl, combine carrots, maple syrup, honey, applesauce, drained raisins, coconut and vanilla. Add carrot mixture to flour mixture and stir until completely incorporated. Transfer to prepared pan and bake until cooked through and deep golden brown, about 40 -60 minutes.  Set aside to let cool before cutting into squares.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  Frost if desired.

Warm with the powdered sugar glaze...












Made in muffin tins with the Greek yogurt yogurt glaze, topped with nuts and raisins (chilled)....

Carrot Cake Pancakes With Cream Cheese Frosting

Oh yesss..I went there.  I converted the remarkable carrot cake into a pancake.  These are just as good as a big ole slice of carrot cake.  But these are slightly healthier!  They are very hearty and a great way to get some veggies into your breakfast.  Who knew you could be eating vegetables, fruit, breakfast, and dessert all at the same time?? Now I'm not saying these are the healthiest breakfast option (definitely very healthy if you omit the frosting though!), but who really cares???  It's CARROT CAKE for BREAKFAST.  I'm seriously thinking about going to make some right now...and it's 11:00 at night.   They were just that amazing.  It's everything you love about a typical carrot cake, but in pancake form.  There are just so many delicious flavors that [hit your taste buds] once you bite into these pancakes.  Cinnamon, pineapple, toasted nuts, coconut, orange juice, cranberries, cream cheese, maple syrup....oh~my~goody~goodness.  I had this with Archer Farms Coconut Macaroon Coffee on the side (found here) and I honestly felt like I was in Hawaii or something.  It was the most tropical, flavorful, super fantastic breakfast ever.  My parents and I ate sooo many of these pancakes; it was ridiculous.  Yet I legitimately cannot wait to make them again.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup Complete Pancake Mix (I used Hungry Jack)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup milk
1 heaping tablespoon applesauce

1/4 cup diced pineapple

3/4 cup shredded carrots

1/4 cup toasted, chopped nuts

1/2 cup sweetened, shredded coconut

1 cup orange juice

1/4 cup dried cranberries or raisins

Instructions:

***Prepare frosting recipe below first, so you can spread it over the pancakes when they're still warm from the griddle.

1.  Heat orange juice in a small sauce pan over medium-high heat.  Add cranberries or raisins and bring to a boil.  Once boiling, reduce to a medium-low heat and simmer for at least 15 minutes, or until cranberries/raisins are nice and plump.  Remove from heat, drain orange juice, and set aside cranberries/raisins.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together pancake mix and cinnamon. Add milk and applesauce and whisk until combined. Stir in plump raisins, pineapple, carrots, coconut, and pecans until well combined. 

3.  Heat a large skillet over medium heat and grease it. Working in batches, form each pancake by dropping spoonfuls of batter onto the skillet. Cook until golden on bottom, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook 2 to 3 minutes longer. Repeat with remaining batter.  Spread frosting over each pancake and serve with maple syrup.

Ingredients:  (this makes a very generous amount of frosting, so you may want to half it if you don't want a lot on your pancakes)
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pure maple syrup 


Instructions:
1. In a medium bowl cream together the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.
2.  Slowly sift the confectioners sugar and continue beating until all lumps are gone.  Add the vanilla and mix until fully integrated. Spread onto warm pancakes and serve with a generous amount of maple syrup.

Orange Rolls

 

 

 

Have you ever had orange rolls that you buy in the grocery store?  I have...my friend is obsessed with them and made me try them.  But I didn't like them at all (I think they were the Pillsbury kind)...they were nothing compared to Grands Cinnamon Rolls.  So why did I decide to make this recipe?  Well, first thing: I didn't create it, unfortunately.  I found it on allrecipes.com here.  It has a 5 star rating (which is really rare; most really good recipes are 4 or 4.5), and all the reviewers said it was the best thing they ever tasted.  Well...they were right.  These rolls are SO good. Like I'm planning on make them Christmas morning good!  They're so tender, they almost melt in your mouth.The orange flavor in the dough, filling and frosting is spot on. The cream cheese frosting... so addictive. This recipe is also very easy and quick...compared to other home made roll recipes.   I'm gonna go have another one right now...

Yield: 18 rolls

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm milk
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 cup instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 tablespoon orange extract
• 5 cups bread flour, or more if needed
• 1 teaspoon salt
•  
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons grated orange zest
• 1 teaspoon orange extract
• 3/4 cup white sugar
•  
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 teaspoons orange extract
• 2 tablespoons milk, or more as needed

Directions:

1. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon white sugar and the yeast over the warm milk and warm water in a bowl. Let stand until the yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam, about 5 minutes. Mix in the egg, 1/2 cup orange juice, melted butter, vanilla pudding mix, and 1 tablespoon orange extract. Stir in 5 cups bread flour and salt. Add more bread flour if the dough is too sticky. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with a clean cloth. Allow the dough to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
3. Combine 1/2 cup softened butter with the orange zest and 1 teaspoon orange extract in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside. Grease a baking sheet, or cover with parchment paper.
4. Turn the dough out on a floured surface and roll out into a 24x12-inch rectangle. Spread the butter mixture evenly over the dough, then sprinkle with 3/4 cup white sugar. Roll up the dough, beginning with the long side. Cut the dough into 18 1 1/2-inch rolls. Arrange the rolls cut-side up on prepared baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
6. Remove the plastic wrap from the rolls and allow them to rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
7. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Allow rolls to cool slightly before frosting.
8. While the rolls are baking, cream together the cream cheese and 1/2 cup softened butter until smooth. Stir in the confectioners' sugar and 2 teaspoons orange extract. Stir in milk, a little at a time, until frosting is smooth and spreadable. Spread the frosting over the slightly cooled rolls.

*** If you do not want to make the rolls overnight after rolling and slicing, cover with cloth and let rise until doubled, then bake.

Orange Chocolate Chip Scones

  

These taste just as good as any scone I've ever had at a coffee shop.  So save yourself the money and don't buy them - bake them!  They are so flavorful and sweet compared to most; they're almost more like a chocolate chip cookie than a scone.  They have just the right amount of orange flavor, which pairs so well with the chocolate chips.  They do an amazing job soaking up coffee, too.  When dunked, they get soft instantly and [melt in your mouth.]

Yield: 12 scones

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup orange juice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. With a pastry blender or a large fork, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the chocolate chips. Mix in the orange juice to form a dough.

3. Shape dough to desired shapes (I did circles because it was easy, but triangles are common too) about 1/2 - 3/4 inch thick. Transfer the scones to the baking sheet.

4. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Move to wire racks to cool.

Orange Tuna Salad Sandwich

This is a very nutritious, filling, protein-packed sandwich that I have every week.  It's definitely much healthier than your typical tuna salad sandwich with mayo and cheddar cheese.  I love adding nuts to sandwich salad recipes...anything that adds a crunch is a plus in my opinion.  The orange juice adds just the right amount of sweetness, and the yogurt instead of mayo makes this sandwich very creamy as well.  I have tried his sandwich with lime and lemon juice as different substitutes for the orange, and I each of them.  However, my favorite would have to be the orange juice.  Orange also tastes the best with pecans.  This recipe is also delicious with a handful of chopped orange (or clementines, tangerines, or any other orange-like citrus fruits) slices.


Ingredients:
2 slices bread
1 container solid white tuna in water, drained well
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 tablespoons plain greek yogurt
2-3 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons (about a handful) of chopped pecans (optional)


Instructions:
1. Combine the tuna and celery
2. Add the yogurt and orange juice.  Mix well so that there are no big yogurt clumps.
3. Stir in the nuts.
4. Cut in half and enjoy.