This adorable family came over to spend a couple of hours with me and the girls.
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| Girl Heroes Jenn & her two awesome boys |
As a mother only to furry children, I feel that I’m not very good at entertaining the kids of the bi-ped variety. Unless of course I just stick them up on the rafters. That’s always good for a laugh. Mine, of course.
So for their visit, I decided to make a little scavenger hunt. As luck would have it, they are very intelligent, so they blew through it pretty quickly and soon we were onto much more fun things:
Goodies!
Joanna Sutter’s breakfast brownies (Shhh, don’t tell the kids they are healthy!) They are made with canned PUMPKIN, chocolate protein powder, baking soda, baking powder and I added stevia.
Fitness & Spice Breakfast Brownies:
- 1 can Pumpkin Puree
- 2 T Coconut Oil
- 2 cups Chocolate Protein Powder
- 2 T Dark Cocoa Powder
- 1/2 t Baking Powder
- 1/2 t Baking Soda
- Stevia to taste (my addition)
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Stir. Place into a prepared 8×8 pan and bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until cooked through. Makes 10 smallish brownies (very filling) at ~70 calories and 6 g protein each.
The result: The kids loved them. Even with the stevia, tee hee! They went back for seconds and perhaps thirds. It’s a winner of a recipe.
By the way, I don’t need to show you photos of brownies. You’ve all eaten brownies. You know what they look like. They are brown. They are square or rectangular. They look good. They always look good. There has never been an ugly brownie. (Translation: I forgot to take photos.)
Next up: Almost raw chocolate candies. This is a recipe that I tweaked from Healthy Hoggin. These are.so.easy. I just added the pan-toasted puffed kamut to give it some volume. This way, you get a big hunk of chocolate with crispy cereal for 60 calories. Win!
The Recipe:
- 3 T coconut oil
- 2 T agave syrup (I reduced this from the original recipe which called for 3T maple syrup)
- 6 T cocoa powder
- 2 cups pan-toasted puffed cereal. I used Kamut.
Mix together the first three ingredients, then stir in the cereal. You can use any puffed cereal: wheat, kamut, millet, corn, rice. Scoop them into mini-muffin papers or a mini muffin silicone tray. Then put them in the freezer. Serve frozen.
There is one small problem with them, however:
Um, yeah, they are a little messy, especially when it’s 85F in Los Angeles in November. (I sense hostility from across the blogosphere, do I not?)
Even Mom was rockin’ the chocolate ‘stash:
The boys are well-mannered as well. Check the “Thank you” cards. Aww.
One of my favorite details: The portrait of Ellie.
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| Is it me, or is this picture depicting my precious little kitty farting? |
Ok Ok it’s true. Ellie can produce some really lethal, nuclear plume, grab-your-gas-mask, near-Armageddon sized catastrophic farts. I just didn’t know she let rip while they were visiting.
Upon closer inspection of the card, I think that he drew her in the act of running. She does that too.
Q: Do you have any absolute favorite EASY home-made treat recipes? (One of the all-time best recipes on the planet is from Abby: pretzel hugs…if they were any easier, they’d make themselves.) Fun gatherings? (Like, perhaps Foodbuzz?!) Does your cat fart? Or run?
I love those brownies. I might even make them blondies soon. And I don't have a cat by dog definitely farts!
I love those brownies. I might even make them blondies soon. And I don't have a cat by dog definitely farts!
I love those brownies. I might even make them blondies soon. And I don't have a cat by dog definitely farts!
Lindsay- Oh good. At least we're not alone
Oooooooooo yummy please can I share!? x x x x
Thanks for adding to our fun day and for the yummy treats. I may or may not have eaten a few more brownies on the way home.
How fun! You should have packed the melty chocolates to go, so that way they could smear them all over their mom's car!
Tam- yes of course- just hop on the next plane and I'll start baking!
Jenn- Oops. Poor Brent. Serves him right for not coming along
Allie!! My long long twin-separated-at-birth-except-that-you-are-a-six-foot-tall-supermodel!! I've missed you! And re. your comment: I think I might have made a very big enemy if I did that! She's sweet but she's a brown belt.
Jenn and her boys are all gorgeous! As are you Deb! Why no pics of you?
I am not very good at entertaining kids either so it really is a shame that I have one. Or at least she thinks so. I bet you are far better at it than me! A scavenger hunt sounds like a fabulous idea. And brownies too? You are awesome Deb.
My easy recipe is this – drop a couple tablespoons of chocolate chips in the microwave, add puffed cereal, mix, let it firm up, eat. It really hits the spot!
And thank God the weather is cooler. Of course today I had a sweater on…go figure!
Aww – Jenn and her family are so cute!! And I love your recipes! Will have to try the pumpkin protein brownies on my kids. The second one can taste pumpkin a mile away though so we'll see…;)
Ameena- you are so sweet. Jenn actually took a really cute photo of me and the kids- perhaps I'll stick it in the post some time. Love your idea of the choc chip/cereal combo- yum- an easier version of what I did! PS don't forget re. the colder weather, you do have a hot water bottle!
Charlotte- be sure to use CHOCOLATE protein powder (as if you even have that- much as you HATE it!). I tried with vanilla today and it was not fabo. :-/
hahaha i loveee homemade chocolate candies! and i'm totally bookmarking those brownies
i've been handkerin for a good chocolate recipe as of late and i'm reallllllly glad i read this tonight.
hahaha the chocolate stache is classic.
Those thank you cards are way way too cute! I love it. And the candies….mmmm. I need to try making some. I've been meaning to make my own PB cups.
Julie- yes, no one was immune from the runaway chocolate- you should have seen all of our hands!
Amanda- I know I loved the cards- so sweet. She's raisin' her boys well! And they are so sweet.
Abby sent me those hugs and they are nearly as good as a real one, because nothing beats a real life bear hug.
Its funny, because me and another blogger at the foodbuzz festival were talking about how much protein body builders eat that they turn into fart bombs. sure your ripped, but you become a walking, talking whoopie cushion.
And yes, it was unusually hot and gross in la, and now i'm freezing. Bipolar much??
I love healthy brownies! I don't even see the need for non-healthy ones.
A favorite easy treat is homemade Larabars. Cashews/almonds/walnuts and dates. Maybe dried cranberries, cherries, chocolate chips, whatevs. Food processor. BAM! Delicious!
Don't know if I can get canned pumpkin in Australia, i've looked around a bit.
These look really good!
The weather and your meet-ups are yet two more reasons of the 1,000 that I need to move to California. If you could adopt me, that would be great. Thanks.
My cat doesn't fart, but she pees crooked because she has a crooked crotch or something (and a covered litter box.) Our old dog used to fart and then try to run away from it, like it was chasing him or something. Blame it on the dog…
Deb! Brownies and Jenn love in one post? The only thing that would make it better is seeing you rock the brownie stache. I am going to make these–I need to hop on the protein wagon after an indulgent weekend. A weekend I wish you'd been a part of! Tiff and I are planning a trip to see you!!!
Eden! Hello chica and welcome! Ha I didn't realize that about body builders and farting! haha.
Erika- yum I used to make homemade Larabars and totally forgot about doing it- thanks for the reminder!
Abby- haha- crooked crotch and dog fart-running! Hilarious.
Janetha- hee, I also had the stache but luckily no one got a photo of it.
Nicola! Hello all the way from down under! If you can't buy canned pumpkin, use any winter squash- microwave it scoop the flesh out and mash or put in processor (get rid of seeds). Use as above. Easy. (and cheaper perhaps??) Good luck! Thanks for reading!
How sweet! Both the lovely kids and the chocolate, looks like a delight of a breakfast, great ideas that kids love and good for mums!
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