Cherry Chocolate Scones with Almond Glaze

I've never made scones before and found them a little intimidating. I've red many recipes that said you needed a special attachment for your mixer or had to cut the butter in a specific way. This made me nervous, so I kind of avoided scone recipes before. However, I recently read a version that used a cheese grater to cut the frozen butter, and I thought I would give it a shot. I recently bought some delicious sweet black cherries and thought they would be great combined with some chocolate chunks I had in my pantry. I finished it off with a delicious almond glaze. I wish I would have made scones sooner, because they were actually really easy to pull off! Mine didn't turn out that pretty, but they tasted good! I'll definitely be experimenting with different combinations in the future. Enjoy! 

Cherry Chocolate Scones with Almond Glaze

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda 

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, frozen

1/2 cup fresh (or frozen and de-thawed) black cherries, pitted and quartered

1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chocolate chunks

1/2 cup vanilla yogurt (I used Dannon Light and Fit)

1 large egg

For glaze:

3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted

1/4 tsp. almond extract

3-4 tsp. non-fat milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large mixing bowl and stir until well combined. 

3. Grate butter with large holed cheese grater. Use fingers to mix butter in with flour mixture until coarse crumbly texture is reached. Gently stir in cherries and chocolate. 

4. In separate bowl, whisk together yogurt and egg until smooth. Stir sour cream mixture into flour mixture until large dough clumps form. Press the dough into a ball. 

5. Transfer dough ball onto lightly floured wax paper and pat into a circle about 8 inches thick. Cut dough into 8 equal triangles using a knife. 

6. Place triangles onto greased cookie sheet and bake 15-17 minutes or until golden brown. 

7. While scones are baking, combine powdered sugar, almond extract and milk in mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth and desired consistency is reached. Allow scones to cool 5-10 minutes before applying glaze. Enjoy! 

Low-Cal Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Shake

Low-Cal Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Shake

Ingredients:

1 1/2 frozen bananas

2 tbsp. PB2 

1 tbsp. Cocoa powder

1 cup light almond milk, unsweetened

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth. Add additional almond milk if too thick. Enjoy!

Skinny Chocolate PB2 Cupcakes

Two words: Chocolate. Cake. So delicious, so decadent, and (usually) so sinful. Sin no more with my Skinny Chocolate PB2 Cupcakes! This recipes uses PB2 (powdered peanut butter) instead of flour, greatly reducing the fat and calorie count. I chose to frost mine with re-concentrated PB2, but feel free to experiment with toppings of your own!

Skinny Chocolate PB2 Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 cup PB2, sifted (+ 2 tsp if frosting)

1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 egg + 1 egg white, lightly whisked

1/2 cup + 1 tbsp water

1/2 cup honey

1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325. 

2. In large bowl combine PB2, Cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Stir until well combined. 

3. Add remaining ingredients and stir until well combined. 

4. Pour batter evenly in to lined cupcake pan. Each cup should be about 2/3 full, making 12 cupcakes. 

5. Bake at 325 for 22-25 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool before frosting and enjoying. 

***OPTIONAL: 

For skinny peanut butter frosting, combine PB2 and water per directions on container and spread evenly on top of brownies!

Double Chocolate Banana Muffins

Craving a brownie? Me too! These muffins are the perfect way to satisfy your sweet tooth. And at only about 120 calories each, you won't have to sacrifice your dieting either. Chocolate with bananas is one of my favorite combinations ever. So go on, have a few for desert, snack or even breakfast!

Double Chocolate Banana Muffins

Ingredients:

3 bananas, very ripe

1 egg

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup old fashioned oats

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/3 cup dark chocolate chips

Non-stick cooking spray

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. In large mixing bowl, mash bananas until smooth. Add egg, sugar and vanilla and whisk together. 

3. In separate bowl, mix together dry ingredients. Combine wet and dry ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.  

4. Coat muffin tin with non-stick spray and pour batter evenly in to tin. (I made 10 muffins.) Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Enjoy!