Chocolate Chip Pillows

These are as light as air! I love the flavor and texture of these little sweet treats. And at only 30 calories per cookie, you can even have more than one :-) I received the recipe as a clipping from one of my Spin class participants, so I don't know who to credit for this one, but I'd like to shake this person's hand!

Chocolate Chip Pillows

4 egg whites (real egg whites, nothing from a carton - learned this the hard way)

1/2 t cream of tartar

1 t vanilla

3/4 C sugar

3/4 C mini chocolate chips

Directions:  Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Using a hand mixer, whip together egg whites and cream of tartar until light and very fluffy; this may take several minutes. Add vanilla and mix again. Add sugar 1/4 C at a time as you are mixing. Once all the sugar is added, continue mixing until batter is glossy and very fluffy. Stop mixing with hand mixer and fold in chocolate chips with a spoon. Drop batter by spoonful onto parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Bake for 40 minutes; they should be slightly brown as shown below. Remove, let cool, and store in an airtight container - while they last!

Black Bean Brownies

These brownies make me want to quit my full-time teaching gig and just bake all day. Well, bake and work out all day so that I can enjoy the fruits of my labor. With recipes like this one, you don't have to feel guilty because you're not sabotaging those sweat sessions. In fact, you're giving your body some protein and fiber - all good fuel for the gym. These brownies are so good in fact, that you can pass them off to your family and friends as regular old brownies and they will be none the wiser! I did... But then I always ruin it because I love telling people what's in these and seeing the looks of disbelief :-)

Black Bean Brownies
2 15 oz. cans of black beans, rinsed and drained
5 T ground flax (flax meal) mixed with 12 T water
6 T melted coconut oil
1 t olive oil
2 T almond milk
2 t balsamic vinegar
1 t vanilla
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1 t ground coffee
1 C (heaping) sugar
1 1/2 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 C chocolate chips, divided

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray 2 regular-sized muffin tins with oil. In a large food processor, pulse flax meal and water a few times and let it sit. Next, combine all ingredients except chocolate chips. Process until very smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides with a spatula. Once smooth, stop and fold in half of the chocolate chips. Fill muffin tins about halfway full, sprinkle with chocolate chips and bake for 25-30 minutes. They are done when they are cracked on top and starting to pull away from the sides of the tin. Store in an airtight container in the fridge

Sweet 'n Spicy Cashews

I love the way the sweet and spicy flavors of these combine with the satisfying crunch of chia seeds. What?! Yup, chia seeds. I was feeling experimental... Turned out quite delicious!

Sweet 'n Spicy Cashews

4 C raw cashews

1/2 C honey

2 T olive oil

1 1/2 T sriracha sauce

2 T chia seeds

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, mix together everything except cashews. Once thoroughly combined, fold in cashews and coat evenly. Spread in one layer on cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, stirring a few times throughout. Once browned, remove from the oven and let cool. They should be stored in an airtight container. They are sticky, but very good!