Bootcamp Avocado-But-Still-Chocolate Brownies

We are having a Bootcamp girls get together night tomorrow. It's a pot luck which is fun. It's also like this weird contest women do to see who can make the best dish. Or maybe that's just me. It's a known fact anything with melted cheese will be in the running for at least top three. Meatballs, devilled eggs, and things stuffed with other things are always big hits. Unfortunately my appetizer skills are pretty minimal. I usually bring out a veggie, pita and hummus tray to shut my hungry friends up. Once the wine starts flowing they usually forget all about food anyways!

So my conundrum for pot lucks is what to bring! And the answer I usually select is baked goods. If it's an all girls party I invariably go to brownies. Bit*hes love brownies. (Lol too much? Sorry!)

I have this bad habit of wanting to put healthy things in my baking. It's mostly me trying to make the world a better place and also to try to justify the eating of brownies on a more regular basis. Today it was avocados I needed to stuff in my brownies. Avocados are super creamy and full of healthy days and antioxidants. They aren't just for guacamole, people! Here's how I made my treats...

Bootcamp Avocado-but-still-Chocolate Brownies
Ingredients
1 avocado, mashed
3/4 cup almond milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1tsp baking powder
1/2 Tsp salt
1 cup Hershey's mini kisses or chocolate chips

1. Preheat Oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 dish.
2. Beat avocado, almond milk and vanilla together until smooth. 
3. Add in dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
4. Add in chocolate chips.
5. Spread batter evenly in pan and bake for 26-30 minutes.

Avocado peanut butter chocolate frosting

Ingredients

1 avocado mashed

1/2 cup all natural peanut butter

2 cups icing sugar

1 Tsp vanilla

1/3 Tsp salt

1. Mix mashed avocado and peanut butter until creamy.
2. Add in icing sugar a little at a time and mix until smooth.
3. Add in vanilla and salt.
4. Frost brownies while they are still warm.
5. Top with chopped Reese peanut butter cups if so desired (who wouldn't desire that?).

Chicken Cheese Avocado Quesadilla

My daily life revolves around food. Often, before I'm even out of bed I have a meal plan. Might sound excessive but remember that I eat the same thing for breakfast every day (banana, mixed berries, flax and almond milk protein smoothie) and I plan my lunches and a general dinner theme on Sunday. I know most people can't/won't eat the same thing for five days straight, but lucky for me I thrive on consistency. Also, I try to be conscious about not over shopping and buying more food than I need, then having to throw it away., so I don't usually have too many options!

Quesadillas are something I make all the time. Fact: quesadillas are delicious. Even when I have no groceries I still have the fixings for a dilla. All you need is cheese and tortilla- never let yourself run out of those! Sometimes I make them as simple as pesto and cheese. Often I'll use leftover fajita filling. I love a pesto cranberry chicken and Parmesan dilla. My most favourite, by far, is chicken with cheese and avocado!

Chicken Cheese Avocado Quesadilla

Ingredients
Whole wheat tortilla
Chicken
Cheese
Avocado
Salsa

Directions

1. Place wrap in a frying pan and turn stove to medium-high.
2. Chop chicken into bite sized pieces (I used teriyaki chicken -yum)
3. Sprinkle one half of tortilla with cheese, then top with chicken.
4. Cut up avocado and distribute half on top of chicken, top with more cheese.
5. Mash the remainder of the avocado and spread on empty side of tortilla.
6. Fold the tortilla over on itself and cook until edges harden, then flip to other side. This only takes a few minutes. 
7. Get your salsa out and a plate, cut the dilla into 4 pieces and enjoy!

Banana Coconut Oatmeal Flax Muffins

I am working on cleaning up my pantry, which means lots of interesting baking adventures! I'm also working on getting back in shape and that means I'm hungry all the time and need more snacks. This recipe was inspired by those two things - a healthy snack with a whole bunch of stuff in it!

Who can argue with deliciously sweet banana mixed with chewy coconut and yummy oats?  Nobody that I'd like to know, that's for sure!

Banana Coconut Oatmeal Flax Muffins (original recipe here)

Ingredients

3 Tbsp flax seed
6 Tbsp water
4 Ripe bananas
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup coconut oil (melted)
2 Tsp vanilla
2 Tsp baking soda
1/2 Tsp kosher salt (or table or sea)
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 Tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup unsweetened shaved coconut

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375. Grease one muffin tin (this will make 12 good sized muffins).
2. In your magic bullet, blend ground flax with water. This mixture acts as an egg substitute!
3. Add the flax to your mashed bananas.
4. In another bowl mix your melted coconut oil with brown sugar, then add vanilla and flax And egg mixture.
5. Add your dry ingredients to the wet and mix untrustworthy combined. Don't over mix or you will ruin everything.
6. Scoop into muffin tin then sprinkle with coconut or oats or both. Cinnamon sugar would be delicious too!
7. Bake for 22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean!

Cranberry Banana Oat Muffins

A freezer full of bananas and a bag of frozen cranberries lead me to this delicious recipe. They are super moist and packed with flavor. I ate them as a snack at work and didn't feel bad because there isn't really much sugar or fat in them. This recipe made about 24 small muffins. Give 'em a try, why don't ya?

Cranberry Banana Oat Muffins (Recipe adapted from food.com)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup oats

2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg
1 3/4 cups mashed ripe bananas (5-6 bananas)
1/3 cup butter or 1/3 cup margarine, melted

Zest of one orange or lemon
1 cup cranberries

Combine the first seven ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix well. Beat together egg, mashed bananas and melted butter or margarine until smooth. Add to dry ingredients. Stir to blend. Stir in cranberries just until combined. Spoon batter into prepared muffin pan, filling almost to the top. Bake at 375 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched.