Copycat Chocolate Vitamuffins!

I love chocolate brownie Vitalicious Vitatop muffins. Have you ever had them? They're a pretty pricey treat at over $5 a box (4 muffins)....masked as a 100 calorie "health food" in your grocer's frozen food section. But, I assure you...they are not healthy.  A safer choice than some other desserts, for sure. But, healthy? Nah.

Don't believe me? Just read the back of the box. There are plenty of ingredients listed that I have a difficult time pronouncing, let alone identifying. Still, I find myself putting them into my shopping cart every so often. There's something a little evil about them--knowing that for a measly 100 calories, I can pop em into the microwave for 30 seconds--and end up with a plate of gooey chocolately deliciousness.

Recently, though....I found myself at a moral and ethical crossroads. I am a Beachbody coach. I teach people how to train mean and eat clean. And, my challengers have asked about these evil little critters more than once. My advice? "Steer clear of them. They aren't clean." Yet. I have a difficult time following my own advice! Until now.....

Check this out. A friend of mine was kind enough to share a copycat recipe for the Chocolate Brownie Vitamuffins that she found on an AWESOME blog entitled, "Chocolate Covered Katie." Katie--you are my new best friend. As soon as I saw it, I studied the ingredients....PRETTY DARN CLEAN (there is a minimal amount of sugar)! I knew I had to give it a shot.

The original recipe had a few different ingredient options to play around with--so, I tried the recipe a couple of different ways, tweaking things here and there. Also, the original recipe seemed a bit scant to me. Although it states that it makes 12 muffins, I really was only able to get 6 from the recipe given. So, I doubled it. Listed below is the final recipe that I ended up with---the one with the BEST final result. And, I'm SO THRILLED! These babies store wonderfully in the freezer, they adhere to my CLEAN EATING guidelines, and they are INEXPENSIVE! A total Godsend, considering that they Vitalicious muffins are super pricey and only contain 4 in a box. Typically, they are more than $1 for EACH MUFFIN. YIKES!

So, I make a batch.....allow them to cool. Store them in the freezer. And, when the craving hits--30 seconds in the microwave (wrapped in a paper fowl) and a dollop of plain greek yogurt on the side (if you like)....and  I'm in HEAVEN. Check it out!

Katie's Copycat Chocolate Vitamuffins

Ingredients:

4-5 tbsp milk of choice 

1/2 tbsp pure vanilla extract 

1 tbsp ground flax meal

1/2 cup organic packed pumpkin 

1/2 cup spelt or whole wheat flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp cocoa powder (10g)

3-4 tbsp sugar in the raw or honey 

1/4 cup 60% cacao chocolate chips or darker

optional: 2-4 chocolate chips per muffin, for decoration

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350 F. 

Grease a standard-sized muffin pan. 

In a mixing bowl, combine first 4 ingredients and whisk together.

 In a separate bowl, combine all remaining ingredients (except the decorative chips), and stir well. 

Next, mix wet into dry and stir until just combined. Distribute batter evenly among 6 muffin cups, and—if desired—place two or three chocolate chips on the top of each muffin. Bake 15 minutes (or until center springs back when touched), then allow to cool 5-10 minutes before removing from the muffin tins.

YUM YUM YUM!!! Thank you, coveredbyKatie.com!

Ezekiel Bread Pudding

My Mom's very favorite dessert is bread pudding. Who can blame her? The stuff is absolutely delicious, comforting, and decadent. The problem is that it is loaded with refined carbohydrates and sugar. As a result, traditional bread pudding can leave you feeling pretty weighed down and sluggish. You know--the "brick-in-the-gut" feeling. 

But, with Mother's Day approaching quickly, I'd really like to make my mom a version of her favorite indulgence that offers more nourishment, and less guilt. One of the key components of this clean eating version, adapted from Oxygen Magazine's recipe, is that it uses Ezekiel Bread. If you're unfamiliar with Ezekiel---it is a plant based bread that is free of artificial risers, preservatives, fillers, and chemicals. Based in sprouts, flax and other plant sources--Ezekiel provides a great source of fiber and protein. Best of all, it's delicious!

On with the recipe!

Ezekiel Bread Pudding

Ingredients

• 10 slices Ezekiel raisin bread 
• 3 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 2 whole eggs, 2 egg whites
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup organic raw cane sugar
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• Pinch sea salt
• Coconut oil cooking spray
• Mixed berries and Low fat Greek yogurt, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Meanwhile, whisk all wet ingredients, plus raw cane sugar and spices, in a large bowl.
2. Tear each slice of bread into about 8 pieces.
3. Lightly spray a 9″x13″ baking dish with coconut oil cooking spray and place bread into the dish.
4. Cover bread with wet mixture and, with clean hands, press down until bread is evenly moistened.
5. Bake in the oven for about 1 hour. 
6. Serve with berries and Greek yogurt on the side. Enjoy!