Choco-holics

So, Joshua and I are are what many would call
...choco-holics...
Yep, you heard me right.
We love our chocolate.

And I want to share with you a couple of our favorite, FAVORITE chocolate recipes:

**Brownie Batter Pancakes**
**Chocolate Cake-in-a-Cup**

First thing's first...

Brownie Batter Pancakes!!!!

(This photograph is NOT MINE...I can't make food look that good.)

Source

Joshua and I LOVE these!
In fact, Joshua specifically requested them for his birthday breakfast...

The first time I heard of them was while browsing
the Skinny Taste website and I just could not believe
that pancakes that look so sinfully delicious can actually be HEALTHY!

Nutrition Facts as given in original recipe post:

Brownie Batter Pancakes
Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 1 • Size: 6-8 silver-dollar pancakes • Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 172 • Fat: 2.4 g • Carb: 32 g • Fiber: 6.7 g • Protein: 5.3 g • Sugar: 4.7
Sodium: 241.7 (without salt)

What?! Only 172 calories for all that decadence?!
I was sold.
(The ones I made ended up with more calories, sugar, fat, etc. because I HAD to add some chocolate chips)

I made them, somewhat skeptical that these could really taste that good...
But they did!

And now I'm hooked. And so is Joshua.
(Kaiya will be too, haha)

 Here's my version of the Skinny Taste recipe:

(This IS my photo...obviously, haha)

Brownie Batter Pancakes
Servings: 1 • Size: 6-8 silver-dollar pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup King Arthur Whole Wheat Flour
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1 Tbsp. Hershey’s Special Dark unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 Tbsp. Agave Nectar (or 1 1/2 Tbsp. for extra sweetness; you can also use 2 Tbsp. of regular granulated sugar instead)
• pinch of salt (optional)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. unsweetened applesauce
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 5 1/2 Tbsp. 1% milk (or whatever dairy or non-dairy milk you prefer)
• 1 handful of chocolate chips (we love the Hershey dark chocolate morsels in our pancakes!)

**I often double the recipe for two people**

Directions:

• Mix dry ingredients very well, then add wet. 
• Make pancakes on a griddle or large skillet over medium heat.

In addition, I like to spread Adam's Creamy Natural Peanut Butter between the pancake layers.
Chocolate + Peanut Butter = HEAVEN!

Note:
*Joshua and I usually don't have to add any syrup to these pancakes because we like how sweet they are already.
*But if you like more sweetness, feel free to add some regular (or chocolate) syrup!
Just remember, if you add more "stuff" to them, they won't be as healthy. :)


Now for...
Chocolate Cake-in-a-Cup!!!!

Joshua and I have a fun story behind this recipe.
Starting within the past couple of months, Joshua and I have made it a tradition
to make cake in a cup on Sunday evenings after putting Kaiya to bed.

We make our own little individual cake in a cup and snuggle on the couch or bed while watching
an episode of Studio C or Granite Flats (or both?!) on BYUTV.

Oh my gosh!!! So good! I like to break up pieces of a Ghirardelli Mint Chocolate Square
and put it in my cake in a cup...along with a "healthy" amount of Hershey Dark Chocolate Morsels.

Yeah. Chocolate crazed.

But Joshua and I love it.
It's our own little tradition that brings us closer together.

Here's my recipe...

Chocolate Cake-in-a-Cup
 Servings: 1

Ingredients: 

• 2 Tbsp. King Arthur's Whole Wheat Flour (you can use regular all-purpose flour)
• 2 Tbsp. Hershey's Special Dark unsweetened cocoa powder 
• 1 Tbsp. agave nectar or honey (or 2 Tbsp. sugar)
• 1 egg (large or medium should work fine), well beaten
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. milk
• 2 Tbsp. canola oil (I actually like to use 2 Tbsp. applesauce instead of oil - less fat and calories!)

(Joshua and I have also recently started using coconut oil in our cake in a cup and it is AMAZING! Instead of 2 Tbsp. oil, use 1 Tbsp. oil and 1 Tbsp. coconut oil. The coconut oil is pretty solid, so when you mix everything together, you have to use a fork to break the coconut oil apart.)

• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (or a tad more if you'd like!)
• as many chocolate chips as you'd like! (or whatever chocolate you have around the house...remember, I like using Ghirardelli!)

 Directions:

•  In a large mug, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, and sugar (if not using agave or honey).
• Stir in the egg, milk, oil (or applesauce), vanilla, and agave or honey (if not using sugar). 
• When well combined, stir in the chocolate chunks. 
• Microwave somewhere between 50 and 60 seconds. The time really depends on the strength of your microwave. It may take a bit of experimentation to get it just right.
• Enjoy!And keep a glass of milk nearby. :)

("Just right" for my cake in a cup is about 54 seconds.)


** Here's the recipe that inspired my spin on cake in a cup.


Hope you enjoy these chocolate recipes! Joshua and I certainly do.
Try them out and let me know what you think! :)