Desserts

Healthy Homemade Dairy-Free Mocha Recipe

by Crystal on March 14, 2012

After seeing this Healthy Hot Cocoa recipe, I was inspired to concoct a Healthy Homemade Mocha recipe that was dairy-free. The end result was yummy. It’s not exactly the same as a traditional mocha, but it’s still good–and pretty good for you, too!

Healthy Dairy-Free Homemade Mocha

3 cups almond milk
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup honey (if you want it to taste a little more authentic, I’d suggest using raw sugar)
1 cup coffee
1 teaspoon vanilla
Coconut whipped cream
Chocolate chips for garnish, if desired

Whisk together milk, cocoa powder, sweetener, and coffee in a medium pot and heat on a stove until hot. Add in vanilla. Pour into mugs and top with Coconut Whipped Cream. Garnish with chocolate chips.

Source: http://moneysavingmom.com/2012/03/healthy-homemade-dairy-free-mocha-recipe.html
© Copyright 2012 Money Saving Mom®. All Rights Reserved.

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Easy Peasy Chocolate Torte

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by Crystal on March 9, 2012

I was supposed to take a dessert to our monthly couple’s get-together tonight and I had a boxed cake mix in the pantry and a bag of chocolate chips in the freezer, so I remembered this dessert I used to make years ago and decided it would be perfect.

It’s not healthy or gluten-free, but it sure is delicious. Best of all, it can be whipped up in mere minutes!

Easy Peasy Chocolate Torte Recipe

1 chocolate cake mix + ingredients needed to make it (You can also make your own chocolate cake from scratch.)
1 bottle of chocolate syrup
1 pint whipping cream (or whipped topping)
Powdered sugar
Vanilla
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Mix cake and bake according to directions. Let cool.

Poke holes in the top of the cake and drizzle 1/2 to 1-cup chocolate syrup over the cake.

Beat whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla to taste.

Spoon whipping cream over top of the cake. Drizzle with chocolate syrup and sprinkle with chocolate chips.

Refrigerate until serving. Makes 10-12 servings.

Source: http://moneysavingmom.com/2012/03/easy-peasy-chocolate-torte.html
© Copyright 2012 Money Saving Mom®. All Rights Reserved.

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World’s Easiest Non-Dairy Whipped “Cream”

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by Crystal on February 14, 2012

Since one of my children is currently on a dairy-free, gluten-free diet, I’ve been on a mission to find some creative alternatives to things they usually eat that are healthful and yummy. I’ve had a number of flops, but I’ve also hit on a few yummy recipes, too.

Like this Non-Dairy Whipped Cream that I made last week. It’s so simple and easy to make and we all agreed that it was yummy–especially if you can’t eat regular whipped cream!

World’s Easiest Non-Dairy Whipped “Cream”

1 can coconut milk
1/4-1/2 cup powdered sugar (or other sweetener of your choice)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon vanilla

Put can of coconut milk in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, open it and spoon out into a bowl (it should be somewhat hardened from refrigeration). Add powdered sugar and vanilla.

Whip until it resembles whipped cream. Serve!

Source: http://moneysavingmom.com/2012/02/worlds-easiest-non-dairy-whipped-cream.html
© Copyright 2012 Money Saving Mom®. All Rights Reserved.

Coming up tomorrow: The recipe for incredibly delicious Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Waffles (I’m so excited about these!)

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Homemade Frappuccino Recipe

by Crystal on May 26, 2011

Guest post by Sabrina at Kitchen Cheat Sheet

I used to work at a coffee shop, and I not only witnessed people coming in several times a day for an almost $5 coffee, I often purchased that expensive blended coffee drink as well!

A few months ago I made the decision to leave my job and stay home with my two kids. Needless to say, I needed to cut my budget to make this possible. One of the first money saving ideas that most people will tell you is to cut out your daily fancy coffee drink. Although I don’t need a fancy coffee drink daily — or even weekly — I am a hard-working mom of an infant and a toddler and it’s nice to have a little bit of luxury in my day!

How Much I Save By Making My Own Frappuccinos

Using a Magic Bullet, I am able to save over $300 a year (assuming I replace two Grande Frappuccinos a week) and still enjoy my fancy blended coffee drinks. Here’s a cost breakdown:

The Yearly Cost of Purchasing Two Grande Starbucks Frappuccinos a Week (at $4.15 each): $431.16

The Yearly Cost of Making Two Homemade Frappuccinos Each Week ($52 for Magic Bullet + $0.50 each per drink): $104

Total Savings the first year: $327.16 (including the purchase of a Magic Bullet)!

Homemade Frappuccino Recipe

Ice
1/2 package of Jell-O Instant Pudding, any flavor
1/2 cup strong brewed coffee (For a little more of a Starbucks flavor, add one package of Via instant coffee instead of liquid coffee.)
Milk (any kind — almond, soy, whole, non-fat)

Fill Magic Bullet tall cup with ice and add half a package (approximately 2 1/2 tablespoons) of your chosen pudding. Add coffee and top with milk (it should reach brim of cup).

Place the Magic Bullet cross blade lid on cup, put onto Magic Bullet base and blend to desired consistency (until you don’t hear the ice crushing anymore).

Top with whipped cream if desired, and enjoy! If it looks too thick, there should be room for a little bit more milk. Stir and pack down what you have now, and add milk to the brim of cup. Blend for five seconds more.

1. Fill Magic Bullet tall cup with ice. (You can purchase a Magic Bullet for $49 at Wal-Mart.)

2. Add half a package (approximately 2 1/2 tablespoons) of your chosen pudding.

3. Add coffee.

4. Top with milk (should reach brim of cup).

5. Place Magic Bullet cross blade lid on cup, put onto magic bullet base, and blend to desired consistency, until you don’t hear the ice crushing anymore.

6. Top with whipped cream if desired, and enjoy!

*If it looks too thick, there should be room for a little bit more milk. Stir and pack down what you have now, and add milk to the brim of cup. Blend for 5 seconds more.

Source: http://moneysavingmom.com/2011/05/homemade-frappuccino-recipe.html
© Copyright 2012 Money Saving Mom®. All Rights Reserved.

Using the above directions, I usually get a very smooth, thick but drinkable-through-a-straw texture. With all the money you’ve saved, you can afford to splurge on a reusable Starbucks cold cup, if it feels a little more luxurious to drink out of an actual Starbucks cup!

Sabrina Hartman is a new stay at home mom to a 2 1/2 year old and a 9-month-old. She loves to find new ways to save money to compensate for leaving the workplace, and is finding her inner homemaker in the process. She tracks her homemaking life and tips at The Unlikely Homemaker and offers a kitchen tip/guide site at Kitchen Cheat Sheet.

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Whole-Wheat Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie Recipe

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by Crystal on May 12, 2011

This is a recipe my older sister created many years ago and it’s been a family staple ever since. It’s not a low-fat recipe (I think I gained a pound just making these yesterday!), but it’s delicious.

It’s a hearty cookie and it blends two of my favorite foods together — chocolate and peanut butter. And the whole-wheat flour and oats might help balance out the sugar and fat… or at least I like to tell myself that!

This cookie dough freezes well and is perfect to have on hand for last-minute guests or a mid-afternoon snack.

Whole-Wheat Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup shortening or butter (softened)
1/3 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup brown sugar*
3/4 cup sugar*
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups oats (rolled or quick oats)
1 12-oz. package chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream together first six ingredients. Add flour, baking soda, salt and oats. Mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Roll into 1-1 1/2-inch balls. Place on greased cookie sheets and bake for 10 minutes or until done. Makes approximately 40 cookies.

Freezer-Friendly Instructions:

Roll dough into balls and place on a cookie sheet. Freeze for 1-2 hours.

Put frozen cookie dough balls into a plastic freezer bag and seal tightly. When ready to bake, pull out the desired amount of balls and place on a greased cookie sheet for 30-45 minutes to thaw. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes or until done.

*I use 1 1/2 cups raw sugar.

Source: http://moneysavingmom.com/2011/05/whole-wheat-chocolate-chip-oatmeal-cookie-recipe.html
© Copyright 2012 Money Saving Mom®. All Rights Reserved.

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15-Minute Oreo Pie Recipe

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by Crystal on December 22, 2010

Looking for a super simple recipe to take to a Christmas gathering this weekend? How about some Oreo Pie?

Cool Whip sent me a basket of ingredients and encouraged me to try a new recipe using Cool Whip. Truth be told, we prefer making our own whipped cream with real cream. But I had fun looking through Cool Whip recipes and choosing one to try. I finally decided to go with the Oreo Pie recipe, considering everyone in our family loves Oreos.

Did I mention we love Oreos? Just to prove this statement, I’ll confess that it took me three tries to actually get the pie made, because the first two packages of Oreos I bought were consumed before I could so much as attempt to make the pie. And it wasn’t just the children who were responsible for the disappearing Oreos.

Ahem.

15-Minute Oreo Pie

1 package Oreos
1/2 stick butter (or margarine)
1 1/2 cups cold milk
2 packages (4-serving size) vanilla-flavored instant pudding
1 8-oz. tub Cool Whip, thawed

Crush 24 to 30 cookies (I’d recommend doing this in a blender or food processor. I tried using a rolling pin and ziptop bag and it was a bit more time-consuming than it likely would be in a blender.) Mix with melted butter and pressed onto the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate.

Beat milk and pudding together until thick (approximately 1 to 2 minutes). Carefully stir in whipped topping and blend well.

Crush or chop at least 12 Oreo cookies and fold into the pudding mixture. Spoon onto crust.

Garnish with Oreos and refrigerate for at least four hours.

Source: http://moneysavingmom.com/2010/12/15-minute-oreo-pie-recipe.html
© Copyright 2012 Money Saving Mom®. All Rights Reserved.

My husband declared this pie “delicious!” despite the lack of real whipped cream. However, his first question after telling me it was good was, “Do you think you can make it with real whipping cream?”

Yes, we’re real whipping cream “snobs” like that.

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World’s Easiest Christmas Candy Recipe

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by Crystal on December 22, 2010

We have a yearly tradition of making this Christmas Candy. It’s the easiest stuff ever to make, it is inexpensive and it’s addicting!

I originally found the recipe in the book Queen of the Castle: 52 Weeks of Encouragement for the Uninspired, Domestically Challenged or Just Plain Tired Homemaker. It was called “Crookies” in there, but we’ve re-named it “World’s Easiest Christmas Candy.”

All you need is brown sugar, saltines, butter and chocolate chips.

Lay one sleeve of Saltines out on a cookie sheet (you might want to spray or grease the pan first, though I’ve not had trouble with it sticking, but some mentioned in the comments they’d recommend this).

Melt one cup brown sugar and one stick of butter in a saucepan on the stove over medium heat until a gooey mixture forms. Pour this mixture over the saltines and spread around with a spatula to generously coat them.

Stick the pan in the oven on 350 degrees for around five minutes until the brown sugar mixture is bubbling on the crackers.

Pull out of the oven and pour two cups of chocolate chips over the crackers and let them sit for a few minutes until they are starting to melt.

Spread the melted chocolate chips evenly over the crackers and then stick in the freezer for around an hour (until chocolate hardens).

Once chocolate is hardened, lift off the cookie sheet with a metal spatula and break into pieces.

Put into gift baggies and store in the freezer until ready to give as gifts.

World’s Easiest Christmas Candy

1 sleeve Saltine crackers
1 stick butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups chocolate chips

On a baking sheet, spread out Saltine crackers. Melt butter and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until gooey. Pour over crackers and bake at 350 degrees for five minutes, or until bubbly.

Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Let sit for a few minutes until chocolate chips begin to melt. Then, spread over crackers evenly with a spatula.

Stick in the freezer for an hour, or until chocolate hardens. Break into small pieces and put into gift containers or baggies. Store in the freezer until ready to eat or give away.

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie Recipe

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by Crystal on September 7, 2010

As I’ve progressed along in my P90X Fitness plan, I’m finding I’m more and more hungry and having to eat a lot to keep up my stamina due to all the calorie-burning this fitness plan requires. I’m guessing I’m eating somewhere between 600 to 700 extra calories per day — and not gaining an ounce of weight! It feels like I’m a brand-new nursing mom who is eating like a horse. Only sometimes, I think I’m even hungrier!

At any rate, I’ve been looking for more simple ways to keep up my necessary caloric intake in a healthful fashion. This Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie was something I created last week and it’s been a smashing hit with everyone in our family. It’s so simple, it’s packed with great nutrition — especially for those who are doing intensive workouts — and it’s delicious!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

2 cups chocolate milk
3 bananas, frozen (I buy bananas when they are reduced and then cut them in half and freeze to use in smoothies or baking.)
2 tablespoon peanut butter

Put everything into the blender (we use a Vita-Mix) and blend on high until smooth (around 1 minute). Pour into serving glasses and enjoy!

Makes 3 servings. Approximately 250 calories per serving.

This is a yummy post workout drink or a perfect afternoon pick-me-up. Personally? I think it’s better than ice cream — and it’s certainly better for you!

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Homemade Protein Bars

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by Crystal on August 17, 2010

I mentioned last week that one of my current goals is to challenge myself to make more things from scratch. As we’re eating lots of protein bars as part of P90X, I wanted to see if I could create a yummy, healthful and nutritious protein bar from scratch.

After scouring the internet for recipes, I ended up tweaking a recipe I found on the P90X forums. The result was the following recipe, which every single person in our family has dubbed as delicious.

Homemade Protein Bars

1 mashed banana
1 1/2 cups dry oatmeal
2 Tablespoons flax seed, ground
2-4 scoops protein powder
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup coconut oil or butter, melted
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup water
1 large chocolate bar (I used organic dark chocolate) or 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients but chocolate together well (mixture will be somewhat sticky). Line an 8×8-inch pan with foil and spread the mixture evenly in the pan. Melt chocolate on the stove or in the microwave. Drizzle or spread over the mixture in the pan.

Place the pan in the freezer for at least 2 hours. Cut into 10 -12 bars and wrap in plastic wrap and/or foil and store in the freezer.

Thaw slightly before serving.

1/1oth of this recipe = approximately 260 calories and 11 to 13 grams of protein (depending upon how much protein powder you use, per Calorie Count.)

I’m also planning to try Lindsey’s protein bar recipe soon, as well, as it looks like a winner, too!

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Mini Apple Pies

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by Crystal on March 8, 2010

I have fallen in love… with Mini Apple Pies.

I saw them on Heavenly Homemaker’s blog last week and knew I had to try the recipe. I printed out the recipe and left it lying out on the countertop when I left my sister to babysit last week. She took the hint and when I came back home the delicious smell of fresh-baked apple pie was wafting through our home.

Please tell me the serving size is three, because you can’t just eat one of these. Er, at least I certainly can’t!

Try ‘em. You’ll like ‘em.

My favorite part? You can make them and then bake half and stick the rest of the unbaked ones in the freezer. We did that and the ones out of the freezer are just as wonderful as fresh-baked.