German Style Crepes

These are fluffier, thicker,  and less sweet than french crepes. They're also known as german pancakes. 

In a bowl, whisk together 1 cup all purpose flour [or half whole wheat] flour with 2 eggs until combined. 

Add in half a cup milk, 1/2 a cup water, and 2 tablespoons melted butter. add a bit of salt, just a pinch.

NOTE: for a slightly sweeter crepe, add in 2 tablespoons or more sugar, and some vanilla extract, but not much. 

Grease a pan, pour in about 1/4 cup worth at a time, cooking on one side for 2 mins until browned,  then flipping. This should make 8-10 crepes. 

If you're eating them right away, add ingredients to the cooked side, like cheese, ham, etc. But I prefer just making the whole batch and warming them up later with whatever ingredients I want. 

Ideas?

SAVOURY:

Gruyere & Ham [or swiss, or emmantal]

Aged Cheddar & Apple

Bacon, Cheddar & Mushrooms

Sausage, Mozzarella & Peppers

Egg, Asparagus, Goat Cheese

Spinach, Feta

Croque Monsieur: Ham, Gruyere or Emmental, Tomato, cover in Bechamel [add a fried egg for madame]

Chicken, Peas, Mushroom, Cheddar

Squash & Boursin

SWEET?

Butter & Brown Sugar, plain and simple.... mmm. guilty pleasure.

Maple Syrup! of course.

Strawberries & Whipped Cream

Banana & Peanut Butter & Marshmallow

Banana and Nutella, of course

Orange Liqueur and Peaches

Chocolate & Raspberry Puree

Blueberries & Cream

Apples & Cinnamon Sugar

Cream Cheese & Apple Sauce

Ice Cream

Caramel 

Brie & Berry Tart

Mmm. 

YOU NEED: 

pie dough.

brie cheese.

jam; make your own or buy. apples and/or cherries are best.

butter to brush.

1. preheat oven to 400 F.

2. lay out pie crust or dough, fill with fruit and top with brie, mix together.

3. fold over on top.brush with melted butter.

4. bake for 15 or more minutes, depending on size. 

Pastries on a Stick

YOU CAN PUT ANYTHING ON A STICK. this is sinful looking, but baked and not fried, so healthy!

YOU NEED:

pie dough, bought or made, cut into squares.

filling.

egg to seal. 

butter to brush.

sticks.

METHOD:

Lay out pie dough square, fill, top with another square and seal edges shut with egg, brush with butter

stick in a stick. . 

bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping once halfway through. 

FILLINGS?

MEXICAN: taco seasoned beef, chicken, sausage or vegetables with monterey jack or manchego cheese, chopped Jalapeno

BUFFALO: Barbeque chicken or pork, with blue cheese and green onion

DESSERT: Fruit with mascarpone or brie.

FRANCAIS: Merguez or turkey with gruyere or swiss

BREAKFAST: sausage & scrambled eggs

HAM & CHEESE: exactly that

VEGETARIAN: roasted peppers, mushrooms, zucchini and onion

ITALIAN: Tomato, Onion, Basil, Mozzarella

PARMESAN: Parmesan & Bruschetta mix

etc etc etc. 

Grilled Peaches Honey with Mascarpone Cream

A healthy dessert for peach lovers!

1. Slice peaches in half, remove pit. grill briefly. drizzle with honey. 

2. Make mascarpone cream: 

1/2 cup whipping cream

1/2 cup mascarpone cheese

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons sugar

Using an electric mixer, whip marscarpone with cream and sugar until thick like firmly whipped cream. Add vanilla. Cover and chill, serve on peaches!

Brie & Mixed Berry Turnovers

GREAT combination. Perfect for desserts, you can freeze leftovers.

YOU NEED:

Phyllo Pastry or Crescent rolls

a bag of frozen mixed berries, or fresh combination of blueberries, cherries, raspberries, strawberries, etc. 

icing sugar

lemon juice

soft Brie cheese

egg to seal

butter to brush

1. get out phyllo or crescent rolls, keep moist with paper towel.

2. mix together mixed berries [1 cup] with 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/4 cup icing sugar. blend in a food processor or mash together with a fork.

3. preheat oven to 350 F. lay out a baking sheet.

4. fill phyllo with 1 tablespoon of fruit and a chunk of brie. fold up, brush edges of pastry and seal shut.

5. brush top of pastry with melted butter.

6. bake for 15 mins or so until visibly crisp. 

Apple Cheddar & Walnut Muffins

An easy and low-cal start or finish to your day. sweet and savoury!

1. Preheat oven to 350 F, and lay out a muffin pan with papers.

2. mix together 1 and 1/2 cup whole wheat or half and half all purpose flour, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, a pinch of salt, a pinch of nutmeg, a pinch of cinnamon.

3. blend 1 egg with 1/3 cup apple sauce,  1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract, and add 1 chopped and peeled apple and some crumbled walnuts, and some cubed sharp cheddar cheese.

4. mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients to form batter.

5. put into baking tins, bake for 15 mins, test with toothpick. 

Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Super low fat, 40 calories each, plus low-fat frosting!

YOU NEED:

1 cup of whole wheat flour

1 cup of all purpose flour

1 cup  white sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon of sea salt

1/2 cup of unsweetened apple sauce

1 tablespoon mollases [optional]

1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

1 cup of canned pumpkin or pureed pumpkin

Cooking spray

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a cookie sheet with cooking spray.

Cream sugars, applesauce, pumpkin and almond extract together.

In another bowl, mix flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spice. Once mixed, add to the wet ingredients. 

Form little mounds and bake for 15 – 18 minutes, or until browned.

CINNAMON CREAM CHEESE ICING:

blend 1/4 cup softened cream cheese with 2 tablespoons icing sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. 

Top or sandwich cookies for a great dessert!

Banana Strawberry Swirl Muffins

More fat free muffins. with natural sugar, so not much of that either! so good!

1. get 2 ripe bananas, mash. add 3/4 cup apple sauce, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 egg.

2. in another bowl, mix together 2 and 1/4 cups whole wheat flour or all purpose flour [i used half and half] with 2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, apinch of salt, and 2/3 cup sugar. 

3. mix wet ingredients with dry until a batter forms. 

4. preheat oven to 350 F. 

5. puree some strawberries with a bit of lemon juice and a tablespoon of icing sugar.

6. put batter into muffin papers in muffin pan, swirl in a bit of strawberry puree into each.

7. bake for 15 minutes, check done-ness with toothpick. 

Super Healthy Strawberry Kiwi Muffins

These are moist and delicious, don't use ANY butter or fat, and can be whole wheat!

1. preheat oven to 350 F. Line a muffin tin with papers.

2. in a bowl, mix together 2 cups flour [whole wheat, all-purpose, or half and half] with 1/2 cup sugar, a pinch of nutmeg, a bit of salt, 1 and a half teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda. 

3. slice strawberries and kiwis into small chunks.

4. mix together 1 egg, 3/4 cup apple sauce, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract,  and fruits. 

5. mix in wet ingredients into dry ingredients until a batter forms. if too solid, add a bit more apple sauce or a bit of lemon juice. 

6. pour into muffin tins, about 3/4 of the way up.

7. bake for 15 minutes, check if done with a toothpick. 

Easy Baked Pumpkin & Cinnamon Donuts

Baked, not fried! Perfect for fall.

YOU NEED:

2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spic

1/2 cup pureed pumpkin

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 large egg

1/3 cup milk

cinnamon topping:

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons oats

1 teaspoon cinnamon

TO MAKE: 

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.

2. Combine the first 5 ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

3. In a standing mixer or bowl using a hand mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar.

4. Add the egg, the pumpkin puree and milk.

5. Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.

6. Place the dough in a large zipper bag, seal the bag airtight and then cut off ½ inch of one corner.

7. Pipe the dough into doughnuts on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes and allow to cool.

8. To make the icing, place all of the ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.

9. Drizzle icing over each doughnut and serve.

Healthy Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing

Using apple sauce in recipes significantly lowers fat and sugar, and keeps baked goods super moist! These are easy and perfect for fall. These are only 40 Calories each!!!

Ingredients

2 Cups Flour

1 Cup Sugar

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Nutmeg

1/2 tsp Ginger

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/8 tsp Salt

1 Cup Pumpkin [pureed]

1/2 Cup Applesauce (unsweetened)

1 tsp Vanilla

NO BUTTER!!

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 In a large bowl cream together sugar, applesauce, and vanilla. Stir in pumpkin, set aside.

 In another bowl combine flour, baking soda and powder, salt, cinnamon and spices,  stir into creamed mixture and mix well.

 Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheet. 

Bake for 15-20 mins. 

CINNAMON CREAM CHEESE ICING: 

1 package low fat cream cheese [250 grams]

1/4 cup icing sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon cinnamon

blend. 

Sandwich cookies, you have a cookie sandwich at just 100 calories or so! perfect for fall. 

Cheesecake Strawberries

Have a nasty craving for cheesecake... No worries!

1. get strawberries, hollow out middle.

2. mix together 1.2 cup cream cheese, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon milk for filling. add more sugar, to taste. mix in Brie or goat cheese if you want to liven it up. 

3. fill strawberries, top with crushed graham crackers or any cookie.

3. serve!

Cheesecake Strawberry Bites

SO EASY. No need for a big, fattening cake, either!!

1. get strawberries, scoop out middle.

2. mix together 1/2 cup softened cream cheese, 1 tablespoon milk, 1.2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons sugar, a bit of lemon zest, 1 tablespoon low fat  yogurt

* IMPORTANT: you can add any berry or fruit. awesome, right?

3. hollow strawberries and fill. top with crushed graham crackers or cookies. 

VARIATIONS?

Brie, Cream Cheese & Apple Sauce

Peanut Butter, Cream Cheese & Grape Jell\y

Blueberry,Lemon Zest, & Cream Cheese

Peanuts, Melted Chocolate

Nutella & Banana

Caramel & Apple

Cinnamon, Apple

Goat Cheese & Fig

Cookie Dough, period. 

ETC, FRUITS, YUM

pair with... something breakfasty. If needing booze, Irish coffee or mimosa,

Baked Apple Cinnamon French Toast

Mmm, apple pie, french toast is fattening. This is significantly lightened up and tastes like both!

1. soak 5 slices of whole grain bread in  3 eggs and 1/4 cup milk for about 10 mins. 

2. slice apples thinly, toss with 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 cup brown sugar, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons melted butter.

3. preheat oven to 350 F.

4. grease a baking dish, add toast, layer with apple mixture. 

6. bake for 30-40 mins until golden.

7. top with whipped cream for dessert, or a bit of powdered sugar for breakfast. 

PAIR WITH: well, if you need booze with breakfast, try apple cider mimosas. MMM. 

Baked Banana Chips

 

A great, guilt-free dessert!

1. slice greenish bananas. the ripe ones will be too mushy.

2. put on a greased baking dish, brush with a mix of 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon.

3. bake for 10 minutes, turn bananas, another 10 at 300 F. 

Apple Pie French Toast Bake

1. preheat oven to 400 F. 

2. Slice apples and bread.

3. marinate apples and bread for an hour or more, with 2 tablespoons melted butter, 1 teaspoon each nutmeg, cinnamon,  2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and molasses.

4. bake for 25-30 mins until golden.

5. Sprinkle with cinnamon and powdered sugar. 

Caramelized Bananas & Strawberries

Bake or fry, yummy fruits. 

1. marinate bananas and strawberries in 1/4 cup rum, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon orange, grape, or cranberry juice [any juice you have in your fridge]

2. fry or bake until browned [the sugar will caramelize everything]

3. serve! with whipped cream or frozen yogurt or ice cream. 

Easy Nutella Cookies

ONLY 3 INGREDIENTS! The easiest cookies, with no added sugar.

YOU NEED:

1 cup nutella

1 cup flour

1 egg

1. mix the 3 ingredients, form into cookies.

2. bake for 8 minutes or so at 400 F, cool on a rack before serving. 

"Fried" Boozy Bananas

A healthy dessert involving batter and alcohol? it's totally possible!

1.  slice bananas in half, then quarters.

2. soak in rum for an hour. 

3. coat in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs. panko, please.

4. preheat oven to 350 F. 

5. lay out parchment paper, and bananas. drizzle with melted butter and more rum.

6. bake for 20-35 minutes until crispy, flipping halfway through. 

Cinnamon & Raisin Bread

Call me a granny, but this stuff is amazing! You can make it without a bread machine. 

YOU NEED:

2 cups warm water

2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

5 3/4 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting

2 tablespoons milk

4 teaspoons sugar, plus more for sprinkling

1 tablespoon salt

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 cups raisins

3/4 cup sugar

7 teaspoons cinnamon

1 large egg, beaten

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 large egg white, beaten

TO MAKE: 

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine 1/4 cup warm water and yeast. Let sit until yeast is foamy, about 10 minutes. Add flour, powdered milk, sugar, salt, 3 tablespoons melted butter, and 1 3/4 cups warm water. 

Mix, using the paddle on a kitchen aid, for 10 minutes,  or knead by hand, 15 or 20 minutes. 

Add raisins, and mix on medium-low speed until dough is firm.

Transfer to a lightly floured surface, and knead by hand into a ball. Place dough, smooth side up, in a large, lightly oiled bowl. 

Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place for about 1 1/2 hours.

Butter two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans generously, and set aside. 

In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon, and set aside. 

Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface, and cut in half. Cover one piece of dough loosely with lightly oiled plastic wrap.

Press the other piece of dough into a 10-by-12-inch rectangle. Brush with half of the beaten egg, sprinkle with half the cinnamon sugar, and drizzle with half the melted butter.

 Rub the surface with the back of a spoon to blend butter and cinnamon sugar. Starting at a short end, roll up dough tightly, and pinch together along crease. Roll the dough back and forth to make it cylindrical, and pinch the ends together.

 Transfer to a loaf pan, seam side down, and cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap.

Repeat process with second piece of dough. Let loaves rise in a warm place, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Heat oven to 425 degrees.

Brush tops of loaves with egg white, and sprinkle each loaf with 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar. Bake 15 minutes; lower oven to 400 degrees, and bake 15 minutes more. 

Remove from oven; cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

YUM!

Toast, and serve with cream cheese for breakfast!