Chocolate Avocado Pudding

Ok...I know. This sounds a little strange. But try it! It's a good way to use up avocados and your kids will never know.
Ingredients:
•3 ripe avocados, pitted and scooped
•1/3 cup milk
•1/3 cup maple syrup
•1 tablespoon arrowroot powder (optional thickener)
•Pinch of salt
•1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•1/2 cup cocoa powder
Directions:
1.Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Process until completely smooth.
2.Refrigerate until cold. Top with berries, nuts or whipped cream.

Gluten-Free Banana Bread

This bread was made with quinoa flour and almond meal. You can easily replace the quinoa with rice flour if desired.
The butter used here can also be replaced with vegetable oil, if you want to make this dairy-free.

Dry ingredients:
1 cup quinoa flour (I just grind quinoa in the coffee grinder. This is much cheaper than buying the pre-ground flour)
1 cup ground almonds or almond meal
2 tsp (gluten-free) baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cardamon

a pinch of nutmeg
a pinch of salt

Wet ingredients:
3 eggs
3 very ripe bananas
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup melted butter, or vegetable oil

1/4 cup applesauce

Heat oven to 340F/170C.

Grease a bread pan and sprinkle some almond meal, or just line it with baking paper. This will make it easier to take the bread out of the pan.

Mix the wet ingredients and the dry ingredients together.
Combine these two without over mixing them.
Bake for approximately 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.
The bread is edible right away, but it will be firmer after cooling.

* Serve with Honey.

Pumpkin Apple Dip

pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened


1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup canned (or baked) pumpkin 

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
 
Beat first 3 then add cinnamon and beat until smooth. Dip with apples or whatever else your little heart desires!

White Chocolate Almond Blondies

2 cups = all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon = baking powder
2/3 cup = butter or margarine
1 1/2 teaspoons = instant coffee granules (can omit)
2 cups = firmly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup = almonds, coarsely chopped
1 cup = white chocolate morsels (I've also used butterscotch)

Combine flour, baking powder and set aside

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add coffee granules, stirring until dissolved. Remove from heat. Add brown sugar and eggs; stir well. Gradually stir in flour mixture. Add almonds and white chocolate morsels, stirring well.

Spread batter in a lightly greased 13x9x2 pan.

Bake 350 for 30 minutes (maybe a bit longer). These sometimes do not look fully cooked but they are typically a bit gooey.
Yield: 2 1/2 dozen

Rocco's Low Calorie Brownies

Nonstick cooking spray

1½ cups canned black beans, rinsed and drained

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon espresso powder

¾ cup egg substitute

2 tablespoons low-calorie sugar-free chocolate syrup, such as Walden Farms

2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream, such as Breakstone's

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

24 packets (84 g) Truvia or 8 tablespoons granulated Splenda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8×8-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.
Combine the beans, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and egg substitute in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl halfway through.
Add the chocolate syrup, sour cream, butter, Truvia, and vanilla. Process until all of the ingredients are combined, about 1 minute.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish, and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, turning the dish halfway through the baking time. A toothpick inserted in the center will come out with soft batter clinging to it.
Let the brownies cool completely in the baking dish on a wire rack. Then cut into 12 squares and serve. Refrigerate any leftovers.
Fat 70g 1.6g
Calories 1500 53
Protein: 4g Carbohydrates: 8g Cholesterol: 4mg
Fiber: 3g Sodium: 94mg

From the kitchen of Rocco DiSpirito

* OK, so I tried this recipe and the texture is much like regular brownies but the taste is a bit different. I used agave as the sweetener and the one thing i noticed the most is the lack of sugar. When you are expecting a comfort food and get something a little more bland it can be disappointing but if you want to be adventurous this is the dish for you!