Marinara Alfredo Whole Wheat Gnocchi

The best way I know to impress at a dinner party is to make homemade gnocchi! It's been a trick up my sleeve since high school. I think I might have made it for every boyfriend or boyfriend potential over the years. Naturally this was the dish I made Jason for our first valentines dinner together. <3 I don't think words can express how rewarding it feels to sit down to a nice big bowl of potato pasta... potato pasta that you made from scratch! This delicious gnocchi is made with whole wheat flour, potatoes, and salt. It takes longer then most recipes I post but when you need a treat or want to impress someone special then why not? It goes really nice with roasted balsamic zucchini, San Pellegreno, and your very own Jason! 😉

100% Whole Wheat Pancakes

Some days are pancake days. Try out this 100% whole-wheat pancake recipe with zero sugar or oil added. If you have a hard-anodized pan then you don't even need to use oil in the pancake frying process (we have a great pan from Costco)! This breakfast is high in fiber yet just as tasty as traditional pancake recipes. Eat these pancakes with berries, bananas, unsweetened applesauce, raisins, nut butters, date paste, or fruit compote for a special treat that is also good for you. Start (or finish) your day with a meal that gives you energy instead of zapping it from you! Make a double batch and store in the freezer for a quick meal or snack later on. Just pop one or two frozen pancakes in the toaster, spread with peanut butter and date paste (my favorite combo) and head out the door!

Vegan German Chocolate Cake (sugar and oil free)

Every year when I was growing up I asked for the same birthday cake. I wanted the German Chocolate Cake Frosting (and pecan glaze) on a yellow cake instead of chocolate! My mom faithfully made a Betty Crocker yellow cake mix and layered it with rich chocolate butter cream frosting and made that infamous coconut pecan dream to coat the top. Sweetened condensed milk, gobs of sugar, and a few very hyperactive children later... you get a birthday coma of happiness (and I loved my mom MORE for it). Flash forward a few years my sister said I should make a German Chocolate Cake that she could feel good about giving to her kids (what a good mommy). One day while killing time at Costco (as my husband went up and down each aisle excitedly searching for a specific extension cord he decide we needed <3 I absolutely love my nerd) I started looking at the cooking magazines and after seeing a recipe for caramel chocolate cake I got an idea to use date paste as the binder and sweetener for the coconut pecan frosting (which means zero risk of burning the frosting because you don't have to heat it. Yes, I've done that before)!

Chocolate (Maple Syrup) Cupcakes

Chocolate Cupcakes... Who doesn't like a rich moist chocolate cupcake? Nobody. If you're already planning on making a dessert for your Honey-Boo-Thang this Valentines Day, or maybe this Thursday (no judgment), why not bake them a treat that won't cause their blood sugar to spiral out of control? Try it, it won't kill you, it might even make you stronger... unless you eat 6... then you might feel sick... and could possibly get the runs, so maybe just eat one? 😉 Sure, it's pretty healthy, but they are still cupcakes, so go easy on them.