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Slimmed Down Brownies Recipe

FitSugar — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 04:30:00 -0700

I consider brownies the perfect barbecue dessert. My standard recipe is similar to most; it contains a whole stick of butter, a couple of eggs and a cup and a half of sugar. Shape magazine recently featured brownies in their new recipe makeover column. I was more than curious and since I was craving chocolate I decided to whip up a batch. It didn't hurt that in making over the brownies, the final calorie count per brownie dropped by 170 calories.

To see the recipe and what I thought of these slimmed down brownies, just read more.

Slimmed Down Brownies
Shape

I found this recipe in Shape and was curious to see how Greek yogurt would fare in brownies.

Ingredients

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons espresso
1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil; spray foil lightly with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, salt,and baking powder. Set aside.
With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar at medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, or until combined. Add egg, egg whites, vanilla and coffee. Continue beating until incorporated.
Scrape down sides of the bowl and reduce mixer speed to low. Slowly add flour mixture to the bowl, followed by yogurt, and mix gently until combined. The batter will be thick.
Stir in chocolate and walnuts if using.
With a spatula, spread mixture evenly in pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of pan comes out dry. Cool on a wire rack before removing from pan and slicing into 16 squares.

Recipe makes 16 2-inch by 2-inch servings.

114 calories
5g fat
16g carbs
2g protein
1g fiber
16mg calcium
61mg sodium

Print recipe with images | without images

For a "lite" recipe, these brownies were really rich and tasty. The texture was a bit rubbery though due to the lack of fat in the recipe, I think. Yum thought the brownies were OK (which for a "lite" recipe is a compliment coming from her) and that they would pair nicely with some vanilla ice cream. My trick is to use good quality cocoa and chocolate chips.

Try baking these brownies and tell me what you think.

Do you have a healthy snack or recipe to share? Then share it in the Lite'n it Up - Healthy Recipe Group and I might just post it on FitSugar.

Food Review: Protein Bakery Cookies and Brownies

FitSugar — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 13:00:00 -0700

Healthy sweets can be healthy in different ways. In the case of Protein Bakery, it's not because the treats are low fat or low cal. Rather, they shun the artificial additives and are designed to satisfy your hunger more than the typical junk food. These handmade, gluten-free goodies use all-natural ingredients, including rolled oats instead of wheat, whey protein, brown sugar, eggs, and butter.

For this taste test, I sampled three of Protein Bakery's baked goods, including the brownie with chocolate chips, the blondie with chocolate chips, and the coconut-chocolate chip cookies. To find out what I thought, read more.

I was a bit surprised that these "healthy" desserts have so much sugar - only 10 percent fewer carbohydrates than a typical brownie or cookie, according to Protein Bakery's website. The brownie has 380 calories, 21 grams of fat, and 12 grams of saturated fat; the blondie comes with 360 calories and 19 grams of fat; and each chocolate-coconut cookie (they come two per pack) has 130 calories and 7 grams of fat.

In terms of flavor, these were tasty but not the most delicious things ever. The coconut-chocolate chip cookie was definitely my favorite: It had a perfect chewy texture with a delightful crunch from the coconut and just a touch of cinnamon. The blondie tasted a lot like a Tollhouse cookie and was better than the brownie, which was just kind of boring, but both had an oddly dense texture that made them taste unhomemade.

However, I will say that these desserts were far more filling than typical brownies and cookies, so I wasn't tempted to pig out. I ate them gradually, having a quarter of a brownie here and half a cookie there, and shared them with my family. Which made me wonder: Why are Protein Bakery's serving sizes so darn big? As you can see in the photo below, the brownie was enormous: about three inches wide and an inch thick. (That's only a quarter of the blondie in the top photo.) If Protein Bakery is trying to make healthy treats that fill you up better than other sweets, I don't understand why they'd sell such gluttonous portions.

Want to try these brownies and cookies for yourself? Though some retail outlets carry Protein Bakery, your best bet is to order them online. If you taste them, be sure to tell me what you think.

10 Foods that Are Hard to Digest

FitSugar — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 12:30:00 -0700

Some foods are rough on your digestive system creating serious discomfort and gas. Not fun at all. You may have your own culprits, but MSN.com has come up with the top ten foods that are hard to digest:

Ice Cream: Can cause stomach trouble when eaten in large amounts because it’s essentially all fat, and fat lingers in the stomach longer than other foods before getting digested. Plus it's a sure fire way to flare up Lactose Intolerance.

Citrus Drinks: Can irritate the esophagus, stimulating the sensory nerves to feel more inflamed; may feel like acid reflux, but in reality is just irritation.
Mashed Potatoes: Can really do a doozy on anyone suffering with Lactose Intolerance as they are usually loaded with milk and/or cream.
Spicy Foods: Can irritate the lining of the esophagus on the way down giving an unpleasant heartburn-like feeling after you eat.
Beans: Can cause gas and bloating because if you don’t routinely eat beans, you might not have enough of the enzyme needed to comfortably digest them.
Chocolate (brownies): Can cause the lower esophageal sphincter to relax, allowing stomach acid to come back up.
Raw Onions: Can really distress the stomach, not to mention the taste buds, if eaten raw.
Fried Foods (chicken nuggets): Fried foods inevitably are greasy and high in fat, both of which spell trouble for the stomach.
Broccoli and Cabbage: Can cause major gas buildup in the gut due to their fiber- and nutrient-rich qualities.
Sugar-Free Gum: Can cause an uncomfortable buildup of gas in your gut due to Sorbitol, the ingredient found in many sugar-free gums.

View 10 Photos ›

To read the full article, visit MSN.com.

Dr. Oetker Knows Brownies

FitSugar — Sun, 28 Jan 2007 13:04:17 -0800

The other day I had a craving for boxed brownies, like my mom used to make.

I know the Duncan Hines I grew up with is so very tasty, but it isn't exactly healthy - it's completely processed and made with white flour and white sugar. So I checked to see if I could find a healthier version at the health food store.

I picked up a box of Dr. Oetker's Organic Brownie Mix. I was skeptical about how they would taste, and positive they wouldn't look anything like the gorgeous picture on the front of the box.

All you had to do was add 2 eggs and a 1/4 cup of butter (I substituted Canola oil). I also took it upon myself to add some walnuts and white chocolate chips.

I have to say, they were pretty darn tasty - Lightly crispy on the edges, and moist and chewy on the inside. I wouldn't compare them to my mother's Duncan Hines brownies, but they were definitely not at all flat and tasteless like No Pudge Brownie Mix.

I'm going to keep a box of Dr. Oetker's brownie mix on hand in case of a chocolate emergency. But if time allows for it, I'd definitely recommend making them from scratch instead.

Save Your Money: No Pudge Brownie Mix

FitSugar — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 17:31:54 -0800

I am always on the hunt for healthy alternatives for our tasty favorites. I came across No Pudge Fudge Brownie Mix and was instantly drawn to it because of the "Just add yogurt" claim on the box. I love yogurt and I love brownies so I had to try this.

After looking at the box further I realized that one serving, which is one brownie, is still 110 calories and that is before you even put in the yogurt. I do like that the mix uses pure cane sugar, wheat flour and dutch cocoa (yum) so it was still worth a shot. It turns out that the taste was not up to par with my expectations and I was rather disappointed. The taste was just a bit flat, not as chocolaty as I hoped.

I mean a healthy brownie -- Who did I think I was kidding?

Buy No Pudge ($3.35) online, or in your local health food store, and try it for yourself. If you love it, let me know below!

For a real brownie recipe, check out YumSugar.com.

Healthy Dose Link Time!

FitSugar — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 13:30:00 -0700

Sunny over at Body by Glamour knows we all love to try healthy brownie recipes. Yes, the words "healthy" and "brownie" are not mutually exclusive.

Complete Running celebrates the new world marathon record. You will not believe how fast Haile Gebrselassie ran 26.2 miles!

Diet-Blog poses the age old question, "When is a salad unhealthy?"

Mark's Daily Apple goes au naturel when it comes to cold and flu remedies.

That's Fit suggests when you can't imagine working out you fake the motivation til you make it.

YumSugar loves quinoa too! Check out this recipe for Quinoa Primavera With Chicken. Sounds tasty!

Fitness Fixation says you have to train your brain and your booty will follow.

About: Yoga shows you Fish pose, the counter pose to my shoulder stand.

iFIt&Healthy makes some serious fat burning claims about the "dead-lift."

Find Your Detour gives you some great imagery to help you find your abs!

Back in Skinny Jeans has created a list of the five most annoying gym types. I think that she agrees with me that the gym is NOT a bar.

Health Bolt is serious about stopping the snoring!

The Skinny Website shares shots of Christina Milian showing off her great legs.

Source

Speak Up: Which Treat is Worth it?

FitSugar — Thu, 03 May 2007 09:30:00 -0700

Well, I know that all of you try to be healthy eaters for the most part (you wouldn't be reading FitSugar if you weren't).

That doesn't mean you don't have cravings for decadent desserts and fried foods.

Rich peanut butter brownie sundaes, creamy triple chocolate mousse, French fries covered in melted cheddar cheese, butter cream filled cake, crispy onions rings, Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream in a chocolate-dipped waffle cone... Who doesn't want to indulge in these delicious treats?

So I want to know - What do you think is worth breaking your healthy eating plan? Tell me in the comments section below.

Why We Overeat: We Crave Fattening Foods

FitSugar — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 10:00:38 -0700

Juicy hamburgers, crispy French fries smothered in cheese, brownie sundaes topped with ice cream - why can't we say no to these fattening foods? We can't help it, according to Health magazine. Dr. David A. Kessler, author of The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite says, "We’re hardwired to hunger for fatty, sugary, salty foods because, back when our ancestors were foraging for every meal, palatable eats meant extra energy and a leg-up on survival."

Well thank you Mr. Caveman for my desire for greasy pizza and cheesecake. Not only do high-fat foods taste great, but when you devour them, a signal is sent to your brain that you're satisfied and happy. Your brain also forms long-term feel-good memories of the experience, which makes you crave it again and again. Even seeing or smelling certain fattening foods can spur pleasant thoughts that make us crave it. Well I guess old habits die hard. It does make me feel better to know that my brain's hunger for triple chocolate mousse pie is a force stronger than my willpower.

How can you combat this hardwired desire? Find out when you read more.

The best thing you can do is know which high-fat foods are triggers for you. Dr. Kessler says since certain moods, times of day, or places can spark our need for our favorite treats, avoid giving into your cravings. This will prevent the link from forming between foods and their triggers. Also set yourself up for success by avoiding foods that you can't say no to. That means you might want to find a different route to work that doesn't take you past a chocolate shop.

When It Comes to Working Out, Just Do It

FitSugar — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:00:17 -0700

Recent studies show that for some people, exercise is second nature, and for others (most of us), it takes willpower to make yourself do it. The problem is, if we use up our willpower or self-control for other things during the day like resisting the urge to hit the snooze button, or not giving in to your cravings for the brownies a co-worker brought in, then we won't have enough willpower left over to push ourselves to get to the gym. Willpower is like money in our wallet - scientists believe we only have a certain amount of it and if it's spent on one thing, it can't be used on another. But willpower is also like a muscle - the more we challenge it, the stronger it gets.

So if getting yourself to the gym is more of a chore that takes willpower, one thing you can do in order to have the energy to work out is to get it over with first thing in the morning. Wake up, have a small snack and then exercise. Scheduled exercise is more likely to happen and if it's first on your to-do list, you'll definitely have enough willpower to push yourself to do it.

How to Sneak More Veggies Into Your Diet

FitSugar — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 05:50:29 -0700

Making veggies a big part of your daily diet is a must because they're low in calories, high in fiber, and contain so many beneficial nutrients. Unfortunately, we don't crave broccoli like we do a big bowl of ice cream, so here are some suggestions from FitSugar readers on ways to sneak veggies into your foods without your taste buds knowing.

UrbanBohemian says, "I like to put my own veggies in marinara sauce when I eat pasta. Also, if I have a frozen pizza, I'll do the same for that. I like to put on frozen spinach or some mushrooms."
"Sneak them in sandwiches." - fleurdelispink
"I've added pureed beets and/or spinach to muffin batter or I bet you could to cake batter too - totally unnoticeable. I know someone who added pureed spinach to brownies, same deal." - Anonymous

For more ideas keep reading