Applesauce Snack Cake

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups (454 g) no-sugar added applesauce
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
  
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup (106 g) granulated sugar
• ½ cup (106 g) lightly packed brown sugar
• 2 cups (284 g) all-purpose flour or whole wheat (see note)
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ cup (85 g) chocolate chips

Topping:

• ½ cup (85 g) chocolate chips

Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan (preheat to 325 degrees if using a glass pan).
• In a large bowl, whisk together the applesauce, oil, eggs, vanilla, granulated and brown sugar.
• Add the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and chocolate chips (adding the chocolate chips with the dry ingredients helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom while baking). Stir until just combined. Don’t overmix.
• Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips for the topping (if using) evenly across the top.
• Bake for 28-30 minutes until the top springs back lightly to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (although a smidgeon of melted chocolate is just fine).
• This cake keeps for several days well-covered at room temperature.

Notes

Whole Wheat Flour: this recipe works great with whole wheat flour although I highly recommend using soft or hard white wheat (hard red wheat will give it a denser/coarser texture). I’ve used a 50% whole wheat/50% all-purpose flour mix as well as making it a couple times with 100% white whole wheat flour. Delicious either way, especially if you are used to the taste and texture of whole wheat in your baked goods.

Chicken Chowder

 

Ingredients

• 2 stalks of celery, finely chopped

• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped

• 1 jalapeno, finely chopped, seeds and membrane removed (this is important for flavor – but doesn’t add heat because the seeds and membranes are removed and it is cooked with the other veggies)

• 1/4 cup thinly sliced or cooked chopped ham

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 (14-oz.) cans chicken broth

• about 2-3 c cooked chicken
  

• 4 oz. softened cream cheese

• 1 cup milk (I use almond milk)

• 1/2 teaspoon salt  1 tsp Mccormick Chipotle & Garlic seasoning

• 1/4 teaspoon pepper  1/2 tsp McCormick steak or chicken seasoning
  

• 4 diced potatoes, 2-3 carrots diced (cooked in Instant Pot on manual for 2 min)
  

  
  

Directions

1. Saute celery, bell pepper, onion and jalapeno until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and ham; cook for another 3 minutes. Stir in the broth and chicken. Bring to a low boil and reduce heat.

2. Whisk together the cream cheese and milk in a large bowl until smooth (I had a difficult time getting my cream cheese to completely whisk into the milk so my soup had some minor small lumps but next time, I’ll soften the cream cheese until almost melted in the microwave).

3. Whisk the cream cheese/milk mixture into the soup along with the seasonings & bell pepper. Simmer on low until ready to serve.