Gluten Free Chocolate Lava Cakes

I really wasn't sure about sharing the recipe for these because they are so decadent and indulgent, but I had a request for the recipe on Instagram so I decided to go ahead and share it with everyone. I try to keep my recipes around 400 calories or less per serving because I really find it easier to fit delicious food into your daily diet when it isn't taking up half of the calories you should be eating. These lava cakes are extremely high calorie, but I will say I shared one with my daughter and my husband ate the other one. It was incredibly chocolaty and satisfying, and if we had ordered it in a restaurant my husband and I would have shared one with coffee for dessert. I apologize for the poor lighting, the sun is setting early here so unless I make dessert at lunchtime I lose the natural light. 

I love these lava cakes because they only require a handful of basic ingredients, you don't need to whip egg whites, make a water bath while baking them, or fuss with sifting flour and cocoa powder. I topped mine with extra powdered sugar for presentation. These would be absolutely lovely with fresh raspberries, whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream. Hope you enjoy!

Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate, in the microwave!

With the salted caramel sauce I had in the fridge and a craving for chocolate, I decided to make a little mug of hot chocolate for me and my baby girl to share. I gave her some in a bottle mixed with milk, and she chugged that sucker down. Probably a bad idea but she's a great taste tester! This is easy to put together if you're in the mood for something better than the powdered packets, but you don't want to make a whole pot on the stove.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cheerio Squares

Nothing beats a no bake treat that uses up extra ingredients. We buy Cheerios from Costco, which means two giant family size boxes. After a while Isla loses interest in eating them as a snack, and the majority of the Cheerios get stomped on and then vacuumed up. I wanted to use up some Cheerios and I had marshmallows in the pantry, and figured a Rice Krispie Treat inspired snack would be a hit!

No Fuss Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

There are 1,700,000 results online for chocolate chip peanut butter cookie recipes, but just humor me for a few minutes. I like these because they aren't as fussy as the traditional cookie. No rolling into balls, stamping with a crosshatch on top, or refrigerating for hours. The other night I wanted cookies; like a needed them five minutes ago type of craving. I went ahead and whipped these up. The dough sat in the fridge for 30 minutes while I cleaned up the kitchen after dinner, and the cookies turned out fine. They didn't spread into flat crispy cookies. They were fluffy and tender with a nice crust on the bottom. Truly delicious, super easy, and the best part is freezing half of the dough to microwave an individual cookie for yourself whenever you need a sweet treat! Give these a try the next time you're craving peanut butter and chocolate.

Protein Packed Chocolate Milkshake: A Pregnancy Treat!

I find myself wanting ice cream more now that I'm pregnant. I'm not sure if it's because of the sugar or my new found love of dairy. I did read online it's a good craving to indulge in, in moderation, because at the very least it has calcium. I only wish it would fill me up a bit more, for longer anyway. Enter protein powder. We have huge tubs of this stuff because my hubby is a fitness buff, and honestly it doesn't taste all that bad. But when you add milk and chocolate ice cream, it's certainly more satisfying.

Chocolate Cheesecake with Peppermint Chocolate Glaze

  These little chocolate cheesecake squares were such a treat for Christmas! My sister is a Winter Solstice baby and she loves peppermint, so I made these as a birthday/holiday treat. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday, I'm looking forward to a new year ^_^

Nearly Sugar Free/Low Carb "Almond Joy" Inspired Chocolates

  I love chocolate, but sugars and carbs and not my friend. I've heard that the average American consumes over 100 lbs. of sugar per year. I refuse to be that statistic, no wonder we have so many health problems!! Here's a fun and easy recipe that uses coconut oil and cocoa powder for its base. You can easily make hundreds of flavor combinations, this is just my personal favorite. Enjoy!

Cheesecake for Under 200 Calories

Ever wished we lived in a perfect world where dessert could be consumed for lunch? I suppose with this recipe you could keep that dream without losing your waistline.

This recipe was inspired by a Vlog I saw on Youtube. This girl is super creative and used cottage cheese to make her version. I've used cottage cheese in cheesecake before, but it's always been accompanied by cream cheese! I've also made ricotta and cream cheese cheesecake before, which is equally delicious. This is a very light version of those previous recipes. It makes 1 serving (which is 3 muffin molds) and it's about 150 calories.

Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

  A few months ago I won a giveaway for cookies and a cookbook from Tate's Bake Shop. Little did I know this would be the most beneficial cookbook I would own for baking. Kathleen King's recipes are simple and easy to follow. I don't need a fancy Kitchen Aid stand mixer to make these treats, my plain old electric beaters work just fine. I had made these muffins right after I received the book, but I only had enough banana and chocolate chips to make a half batch (6 muffins). I had 2 large and very ripe bananas sitting in my fridge the other day and remembered this recipe. We've been snacking on delicious muffins since, and I froze five and put them in individual baggies that can be nuked for a quick morning breakfast.