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Healthy Ways to Indulge a Chocolate Craving

January 5, 2016 by

Many people have a sweet tooth that creates a craving for chocolate, but while the occasional indulgence is okay, eating too much chocolate could be the end to your healthy diet. Here are a few healthy ways to eat chocolate that will keep you right on track when a craving strikes.

Chocolate Tart with Hazelnut Shortbread Crust [Eating Well]
Make this seemingly decadent dessert the next time you have friends over for dinner, and no one will even know that it’s actually healthy. With just over 250 calories per serving and six grams of protein, you’ll get the taste of chocolate without feeling weighed down.

Black Bean Brownies [Chocolate Covered Katie]
While the addition of black beans to brownies may seem strange at first, you won’t even be able to taste the protein-packed beans when they’re masked by the rich, dense chocolate flavor. These brownies are also flourless, which is great for low-carb diets.

Healthy Homemade Chocolate [Wellness Mama]
Instead of grabbing a fat- and sugar-packed candy bar from the checkout counter at the grocery store, make your own healthier version at home. This recipe includes only four ingredients, and because they’re all natural, you won’t have to worry about ingesting any chemicals and unnatural ingredients.

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What’s Your Favorite Breakfast Casserole Recipe?

August 4, 2015 by

If you’re having friends or family over for brunch this weekend, it helps to prepare large, family-style dishes in advance. You can pop them into the oven just before guests arrive, and they’ll leave you with one less thing to do the morning of. These three breakfast casseroles are perfect ideas:

One-Dish Blackberry French Toast
Instead of making French toast one by one for every person at the table, create an entire pan of French toast-inspired casserole. This one is made with French bread cut into cubes and a blueberry cream cheese mixture that adds a sweet, creamy flavor.

Paula Deen’s Breakfast Casserole
The beloved cook shows you how to make a breakfast casserole that’s hearty, filling and large enough for the whole family. It takes just 20 minutes to prepare, and it’s made with classic breakfast ingredients that everyone is sure to love.

Brunch Egg Bake
This quick and easy egg casserole features layers of eggs, cheese and flavorful ham. There are even a few hidden veggies to keep things healthy without the little ones noticing. It takes 40 minutes to bake in advance, but a few minutes in the oven before guests arrive will bring it back to life.

What's your favorite breakfast casserole recipe? Please share!

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Any Novice Baker Can Master These Easy Shortbread Cookie Recipes

June 3, 2014 by

Whether you dip it into a steaming cup of tea or serve it as a treat for dessert, rich, buttery shortcake is a classic cookie that just about everyone enjoys. There are a wide variety of ways to make shortbread, and there are even more delicious toppings to bring out that creamy flavor. Here are two of the best shortbread recipes.

Ina Garten’s Shortbread Cookies [The Food Network]
Ina Garten of The Barefoot Contessa offers a traditional shortbread cookie recipe that’s anything but boring. Unsalted butter, vanilla, and sugar combine to create the signature sweet, buttery taste, while a pinch of salt helps to enrich the already delicious flavor. After the cookies are done, Garten recommends drizzling them with semisweet chocolate as a topping.

Scottish Shortbread [Allrecipes]
Prepared just like they used to make it in Scotland, this recipe uses only real, full flavor ingredients to create the beloved cookie. Real butter and brown sugar spare no expense when it comes to taste, and the recipe itself is so simple that just about anyone can make it.

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4 of the Web’s Best Recipes for Banana Pudding

April 8, 2014 by

Banana pudding is sweet and rich, with a creamy taste that people of all ages simply adore. It’s also a very simple dish to make at home, and it serves a large number of guests at one time. Here are a few of the best banana pudding recipes from around the web.

Banana Pudding IV [All Recipes]
When you’ve only got a few minutes to spare, this banana pudding recipe comes together quickly and easily.

Easy Southern Banana Pudding [Kraft]
Use simple vanilla wafers to create this banana pudding in just 20 minutes or less.

Not Yo’ Mama’s Banana Pudding [Paula Deen]
True to Paula’s signature style, this recipe is rich, creamy, and truly decadent.

Banana Pudding Recipe & Video [Joy of Baking]
Visual learners will love this tasty recipe because it includes a simple video to help you along.

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Find Creative Cookie Recipes Online with These 2 Sites

February 4, 2014 by

You want to bring a homemade batch of cookies to your next dinner party or special occasion, but your usual chocolate chip recipe just won’t do. If you’re looking for a truly creative, sophisticated cookie recipe, these websites are the perfect resources.

Smitten Kitchen
This adorable cooking site is full of baking inspiration, and the cookie section is something to be admired. New York-style Black and White Cookies are stylish additions to any party, and they’re truly simple to make. For something a bit more unique, the tangy Key Lime Meltaways, savory Crispy Salted Oatmeal White Chocolate Cookies, or refreshing Green Tea Cookies are all delicious and beautiful recipes that your friends will surely admire.

101 Cookbooks
101 Cookbooks offers modern cookie recipes for the stylish baker. Whole Bean Vanilla Cookies make your whole house smell simply divine, and using a real vanilla bean instead of the usual extract makes all the difference. Biscotta al Pistachio are tiny, bite-sized versions of everyone’s favorite coffee pairing, while Olive Biscuit Cookies are truly unique, but just as delicious as traditional sweet cookies. No matter your taste or the occasion, 101 Cookbooks has a cookie recipe for everyone and everything.

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How To Make Great Risotto

September 24, 2013 by

Risotto can be a daunting meal to prepare – this Italian dish is known for being quite difficult to make properly. The most thing to remember when making a risotto is constant attention. The cook basically needs to stay over the pan, constantly stirring the rice, while occasionally adding additional stock to the grains in order to achieve that perfect risotto consistency. Once you’ve got the hang of that, below are some ways to jazz up the dish!

–        Mushrooms are known for being a fabulous complement to risotto. Their earthiness infiltrates the rice, adding interest and dimension to the dish. Try using porcini, baby bella, or chanterelle mushrooms, all work well. Top with freshly grated Parmesan.

–        Lemon is also a wonderful addition to risottos. Add fresh-squeezed lemon juice, lemon zest, and steamed asparagus to the dish for a light, refreshing meal that will truly impress.

–        In the fall, draw inspiration from seasonal produce. Try adding some roasted butternut squash for a subtle, comforting flavor.

–        Seafood risotto is also a very popular option. Incorporate cooked clams, mussels, scallops, and shrimp to add a variety of flavors and textures to the dish, and season with saffron and fresh lemon.

–        For a truly outstanding breakfast, prepare a traditional risotto and stir in cooked, crispy, crumbled bacon and some sharp cheese, like Swiss or Gruyere. Top with a poached egg and enjoy!

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