Zesty Orange Poke Cake

I've been busy writing an upcoming cookbook and was writing dessert recipes when this idea popped in my head!  I had to make it immediately!  You seriously can't go wrong with a yellow cake mix, freshly squeezed orange juice and orange zest. I mean, what's not to like about all that?!

This cake is not too sweet and is perfectly orangy!  You will love it warm, cold, on it's own, with ice cream, etc.  It's perfect no matter what!

Alright, alright, alright!  I'm going to stop talking now so you can get to what you came here for!  Here's the recipe:

Makes 6-8 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 6 hours
Ideal slow-cooker size: 3 qt.

Ingredients:
Cake:
22 oz. gluten-free yellow cake mix
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup melted coconut oil
3 eggs
1 Tbsp. orange zest

Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. orange juice
1 1/2 tsp. orange zest

Ice Cream for serving

Directions:

1. Spray the crock with non-stick spray.

2. In a bowl, mix together all cake ingredients.  Pour into crock.

3. Cover and cook on Low for 6 hours, or until cake is all the way set.

4. Mix together the glaze ingredients.

5. With a straw, poke holes into cake.  Pour glaze over top of entire cake.

6. Scoop cake out with a spoon and into a bowl.  Top with ice cream.  Or, Turn crock upside down on a plate and cut cake in slices.

Enjoy!

Easter Recipe Roundup from "The Gluten-Free Slow Cooker"

Are you already thinking about what you're going to make for Easter?  I know, I know, you're probably making a ham, but have you thought about what you're going to serve for breakfast?  How about for dessert?

Well, your day is about to get a little brighter because I'm bringing you 3 of my recipes from The Gluten-Free Slow Cooker to help make Easter day go just a little bit smoother!  The Gluten-Free Slow Cooker is my newest cookbook and was released on October 2.  It's FULL of all sorts of recipes, from appetizers, breakfast food, main courses, side dishes and desserts!  If you need more suggestions beyond the 3 recipes listed below, I highly suggest you pick up a copy of my book and make it the easiest Easter EV-AH! ;)  How about some Lasagna Roll-Ups or Apple and Onion Pork Loin for your Easter Main course instead of the usual Ham?  The recipes are in the book!  Or, how about making some Black-Eyed Pea and Ham Soup with those leftovers?  The recipe is in the book and it's one of my FAVORITE soups ever!  You'll love it!  You can purchase it here.

Photography by JNV

So, let's talk the recipes I am giving you right now.  How about starting Easter morning off with some delicious Cinnamon Roll Oatmeal?  YUM!  It's like dessert for breakfast!  Seriously, you have to have some!  You'll thank me later!

Moving on, I'm going to suggest serving my Brown Sugar Mashed Potatoes as a healthier alternative to the traditional mashed potatoes you may usually serve.  Your family will love this new twist!  

Let's end Easter dinner on a VERY good note!  How about my Hazelnut and Chocolate Cheesecakes?!  YES, PLEASE!!!!!!!  Seriously.  You'll get brownie points for the cute individualized jar presentation!  Everyone will leave happy ;)

Alright....I'm going to get on with it now!  Here are the recipes:

Cinnamon Roll Oatmeal

Finding gluten-free cinnamon rolls can be difficult. Making gluten-free cinnamon rolls takes way too much time. Making Cinnamon Roll Oatmeal is simple and quick! Drizzle your oatmeal with a delicious cinnamon frosting, and you’ve got a decadent dessert-like oatmeal for breakfast.

1½ cups (120 g) steel cut oats

½ cup (115 g) brown sugar

1½ teaspoons cinnamon

6 cups (1.4 L) almond milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup (115 g) cinnamon frosting, storebought, or follow the frosting recipe on page 159, substituting cinnamon for the pumpkin pie spice.

» Spray your crock with nonstick cooking spray. Pour in the oats, sugar, and cinnamon. Pour the milk and vanilla over the top and give a quick stir.

» Cover the crock and cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 4 hours.

» When you are ready to serve this, swirl in the cinnamon frosting.

RECOMMENDED SLOW COOKER SIZE:

3 quart (3 L)

YIELD: 6 servings

RECIPE NOTE

You can easily make this recipe dairyfree by replacing the cinnamon frosting with the following alternative: Mix together 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) almond milk, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon.

TIPS & SUGGESTIONS

>> If you don’t like the thickness of your oatmeal in the morning, you can thin it out by adding a bit of milk when serving.

» You can change the flavor of this oatmeal by experimenting with different types of milk. Try coconut, cashew, vanilla-almond, or soy milk to change things up.

Brown Sugar Mashed Sweet Potatoes 

5 INGREDIENTS OR LESS

This recipe provides all the goodness of mashed potatoes, but it’s sweet and delicious instead of savory. You won’t need dessert after eating these amazingly easy sweet potatoes.

6 cups (660 g) ½-inch (1 cm) peeled sweet potato cubes

1⁄3 cup (75 g) brown sugar

6 tablespoons (85 g) butter

½ cup (120 ml) vegetable stock

» Spray your crock with nonstick cooking spray.

» Place the sweet potatoes into the crock and sprinkle the sugar over the top. Place the butter on top, and then pour the stock over the top as well.

» Cover the crock and cook on LOW for 6 hours or on HIGH for 3 hours, or until the potatoes are very tender and pierce easily with a fork. Mash the potatoes right in the crock.

RECOMMENDED SLOW COOKER SIZE:

2 to 3 quart (2 to 3 L)

YIELD: 6 to 8 servings

TIPS & SUGGESTIONS

This dish pairs well with the Apple and Onion Pork Loin on page 92, the Cranberry-Glazed Turkey Breast on page 102, and the Honey Garlic Pork Chops on page 106.

Hazelnut and Chocolate Mini Cheesecakes

These individual cheesecakes are decadent, smooth, creamy, hazelnutty, chocolaty, and delicious. They are incredibly charming, served in individual mason jars, which makes for a beautiful presentation for your guests.

1 box (8 ounces, or 225 g) reduced-fat cream cheese, softened

1 cup (230 g) nonfat plain Greek yogurt

1⁄3 cup (60 g) granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

¾ cup (195 g) chocolate-hazelnut spread, such as Nutella

6 mason jars (6 ounces, or 175 ml, each)

» Using a stand mixer, beat together the cream cheese, yogurt, sugar, and vanilla on mediumlow speed. (You may use a hand mixer if you do not have a stand mixer.) When it is well mixed, add the eggs, one at a time. When this is well combined, add the chocolate-hazelnut spread.

Continue to mix and scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary.

» When the mixture is well combined, pour or spoon the batter evenly into the 6 jars. Leaving the lid off of the jars, place them into your crock. Carefully pour water into the crock around the outside of the jars, until the water level is about halfway up the outside of the mason jars. (Be careful not to get any water in your cheesecakes.)

» Cover the crock and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours or on HIGH for 2 to 2½ hours.

» When the cook time is up, wearing an oven mitt, carefully remove the mason jars from the water bath and place them on a cooling rack.

RECOMMENDED SLOW COOKER SIZE:

5 quart (5 L) or larger

YIELD: 6 servings

TIPS & SUGGESTIONS

» Tie a ribbon around each jar, correlating to whatever theme or holiday you’re celebrating.

» For serving, top each cheesecake with a dollop of whipped cream and some mini chocolate chips.

Delightful Chocolate Mousse - Gluten-Free and Healthy

I don't know about you, but I need chocolate.  I never used to.  My mom and sister would RAID the house for chocolate around "that time of the month," but me?  I would go for the lemon drops.  (Those were my FAVORITE!  Sour and Sweet!  YUM!)  Nowadays, I need chocolate.  Probably as much as my sister and mom did, but I kind of like it ALL the time.  LOL  So, I had to come up with some sort of "alternative" way to eat it, other than grabbing a candy bar. (Because have you tried the Snickers Peanut Butter?!!!!  Oh. Em. GEE!!!!!  Don't get me started!)

So, one night, in desperation for my dark chocolate fix, I started throwing stuff together.  I have PERFECTED this recipe I tell ya!  I've probably been making it for the past 3 months, but haven't shared it with you because something was "off" (but notice, I still ate it?!!!! LOL)  This whips together VERY quickly and you may even have all the ingredients in your pantry.

Ok, ok, ok.....I wipe your drool already!  I'm getting to it!  I'm getting to it!

Servings: 1

Ingredients:

1/3 cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt

3/4 tsp. natural peanut butter

1 tsp. organic maple syrup

1 1/4 tsp. cocoa powder

1 tsp. dark chocolate chips or cacao nibs

Directions:

In a bowl, add the yogurt, peanut butter and maple syrup.

Add the cocoa powder, then stir.

Next, add the dark chocolate chips or cacao nibs and stir it up.

ENJOY EVERY LAST BITE!!!!  YUM!

I gave this recipe to my good friend Maria to try....(just to be sure it passed) and here's a beautiful photo she took!

Cranberry Apple Crumble - Recipe for Allfreeslowcookerrecipes.com

When allfreeslowcookerrecipes.com asked me to write a few recipes for them, I was VERY happy to oblige!  I used the wonderful PanSaver slow cooker liners with each of my recipes, and they made clean-up an absolute cinch!!!

This dessert turned out AWESOME!!!!!!  It's my favorite to date! At the bottom will be the sweet and tart combination of apples and cranberries, topped off with a healthy and buttery crumble!!!!! So, grab all the ingredients you need and let this dessert be the highlight of your evening!

You can find the recipe on allfreeslowcookerrecipes.com by clicking here!

Healthy Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough - Gluten-Free

It's no secret....I've been on a health kick.  I've been working my tail off to get in shape.  But, I'm human.....and PMSing.  And I needed chocolate darn-it!!!!  Actually, I wanted to eat a tube of cookie dough, but being that I'm gluten-free, that just wasn't possible.  (Not to mention how disappointed my trainer would be in me!!!!!) So, I hit my cupboard in search of ingredients that weren't awful for me, and wouldn't make me feel guilty!

My trainer Andrea posted a recipe for a healthy pancake.  Well, I didn't want a darn pancake.  I wanted dessert.  DESSERT, darn-it! (I really wanted to use the other word, but I'll keep this clean, LOL!) And not just any dessert, chocolate dessert!

So, I looked at her healthy suggestions and I went to my pantry!  Here's what I came out with........
Ground oats, cocoa powder, sugar in the raw, natural peanut butter, dark chocolate chips and natural applesauce from the fridge.

Ladies and gentlemen, I'm here to tell you these things all work together!  Beautifully actually!  It was not too sweet, but just sweet enough to curb my sweet tooth!  Best of all, I didn't feel at all guilty eating this.  Nope. Not ONE bit!  Oats are SO good for you!  For the tiny bit of sugar in the raw and natural peanut butter used, you don't have to feel like guilty either.  This cookie dough will do the trick, I promise!

So, what are you waiting for!  Go make yourself a bowl!  Add in cocount flakes or some slivered almonds for extra crunch if you like!  Make it your own decadent, guilt-free cookie dough!!!!

Servings: 1

Ingredients:

1/2 cup oat flour

1 Tbsp. cocoa powder

1 tsp. sugar in the raw

1 Tbsp. natural peanut butter

3 Tbsp. natural applesauce

1-2 Tbsp. dark chocolate chips

Directions:

In a bowl, place the oat flour, cocoa powder and sugar in the raw.

Add the peanut butter and applesauce.

Mix it up.

Add the chocolate chips and mix again.

Serve and ENJOY each and every DELICIOUS bite!!!

Pumpkin Bread Pudding

I made this for dessert when we came home from Trick or Treating, but this would be fabulous for Thanksgiving dessert!  Bread Pudding is really very easy to make and this was delicious!

In case you missed it, I've mentioned it before, but I've made Bread Pudding before in the oven and it was a complete failure.  It seriously would NOT cook and it tasted like scrambled eggs.  NOT what you're going for when you're making a dessert!  Fast forward about 4-5 years and I got up enough guts to try it again, but in my slow cooker.  I'm so happy I did!  It turns out wonderfully!

You can really switch this up any way you choose, or use any type of flavored liquor you want.  If you don't want to add liquor, just add some canned pumpkin and a bit more liquid and sugar. :)

Ingredients:

1 French Baguette, cut into 1/2" cubes and left out overnight to dry out.

1/2 cup craisins

1/4 cup Pumpkin Spice liquor

4 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp.cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 cup sugar

2 Tbsp. butter, melted

2 cups heavy cream

Directions: (I used a 3 quart crock for this)

Spray your crock with non-stick spray.

In a small bowl, soak your craisins in the pumpkin liquor.

In a bigger bowl, mix together the eggs, vanilla extract, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, sugar, melted butter and heavy cream.

Stir in the Pumpkin liquor and soaked craisins last.

Add in the bread and stir.

 

Dump it all into your crock.

Place a towel under the lid and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours, or on HIGH for 2-3 hours.

ENJOY!

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Oh, WOW!  A Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar with Vegetables in it, so I can sneak those into my kids?!!!!  YES!!!!!  These were delicious!!!  They are made with Oatmeal Flour (which is simply ground up oats,) so these are really healthy!  Yes, they have a bit of sugar in them, but really, a very small amount in comparison to what you'll be putting in your mouth.

I adapted Chocolate Covered Katie's Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe as the base batter for this and then doctored it up!  When you start with something excellent to begin with, you end up with something excellent!  

I cannot wait for you to try these!  Ready?!  Set?! BAKE!!!!

P.S.  I'm posting this post from my iPad for the first time EVER!  It was not easy, but I "think" I've done it.  If things aren't lined up, or look "off," I apologize in advance!

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Ingredients:

2 1/3 cup oat flour (throw some oats in a food processor and grind them into a powder)

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

2 cups grated zucchini

2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 Tbsp. milk

3/4-1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions: (I used a 7 Quart Crock for this, but a 4 Quart or greater would be fine)

To make your oat flour, place your oats in a food processor and grind them into a powder.

Next in a bowl, place all of your dry ingredients.

 Mix them up.

 Now, add the zucchini, vanilla and vegetable oil.

 Start to mix it up and then add your milk, 1 Tbsp. at a time.  You don't want the batter to be too thin. If you feel it's thin enough after 1 Tbsp. stop there.  If not, add another.

 Pour the batter into your crock that is sprayed really well with non-stick cooking spray.

Cook on LOW for about 2 hours, with paper towel underneath the lid to absorb condensation, or until the edges are browned and the middle no longer looks "soupy."  It will continue to cook once you turn it off.  Let it cool completely before trying to cut and remove your "bars!"
Enjoy!

"The Best Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookie" Non-Slow-Cooker Recipe

Last week, we celebrated 3 birthdays! That makes for A LOT of sweet treats!  I made frosted brownies for Ella's friend Ava and special cupcakes for my husband within 2 days.  By day 3, I wasn't ready for another super unhealthy treat.  LOL!  For some reason, I had it stuck in my head that I wanted to make a giant chocolate chip cookie. I figured MAYBE there would be a recipe for a healthy chocolate chip cookie somewhere!

I turned to my favorite "sweet-treat" blogger, Chocolate Covered Katie. She never lets me down!  When I went to make Gavin's homemade healthy birthday cake, I used her Chocolate Frosting Shots recipe for the chocolate frosting on Gavin's Monkey Cake for his first birthday.

Katie, has a recipe for "The Best Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies" on her site that I decided to try my hand at for my giant cookie!  She has graciously given me permission to post the recipe here for you!

So, here it is, with my method since I made a giant cookie and did not use nuts.  I  also doubled every ingredient in this recipe for my cookie.  I cooked mine on the small Pampered Chef round pizza stone.

• 2/3 cup plus 1/2 cup oat flour (140g) (you just put oatmeal into a food processor and process it into dust!)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 4 tbsp brown sugar or brown coconut sugar or Sucanat (I used brown sugar)
• 4 tbsp xylitol or white sugar or evaporated cane juice (I used white sugar)
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup chopped macadamia nuts or sub another nut (I omitted the nuts)
• 3 tbsp to 1/2 cup chocolate chips (I did not measure these.....just poured them in until it looked like enough!)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp vegetable or coconut oil (I used vegetable)
• 3-5 tbsp milk of choice, as needed (I ended up using too much and adding more flour, so as you're mixing, add the milk SLOWLY 1 Tbsp. at a time and wait for it to work it's way through your batter.  You don't want your batter to be runny so that it will stay put on your stone!)

Preheat oven to 380 degrees. Combine all dry ingredients and mix very well. Add wet, and form into a big ball. Now make little balls from the big one. For soft cookies, refrigerate until cold (otherwise, just bake right away). Bake 7 minutes, or until they’ve spread out and look just a little undercooked. Remove from oven when they’re still a little undercooked, then it’s important to let cookies cool at least 10 minutes before trying to remove from tray, as they’ll continue to cook while cooling. For soft cookies, store in a lidded plastic container. For crispy cookies, store in a lidded glass container.

I spooned my batter onto my pizza stone and spread it out in a circle, leaving about an inch around the sides.

Since I made one giant cookie, I had no idea how long this was going to need to cook for.  I started with 18 minutes and added 5 minutes each time from there.  I ended up cooking this giant cookie for about 30 minutes.

I waited for it to cool and then frosted it for our birthday celebration!  It was DELICIOUS!!!!  Everyone had seconds....leaving only 5 slices left (which I gave to our neighbors!)  I really hope you try this cookie(s)!  I think your kids will love them!  Thanks Chocolate Covered Katie!