Cocoa Olive Oil Brownies with Dark Chocolate Chunks and Sea Salt

I happen to like a fad diet every now and again. It's like a food phase for me, I go through plenty of food phases where I'm obsessed with a certain food (hence my blog name, Sarah Cupcake) or diet. I've tried fasting, been vegetarian, tried low-carb, Weight Watchers, organic food, and the like. I've learned a lot from each "diet" and carried along many good food habits from each stage - from fasting I learned the importance of fiber and (sorry) pooping, I eat almost no red meat and only occassional white meat after learning the health risks and environmental hazards of the meat production industry, from low-carb diets I learned the importance of whole grains, from Weight Watchers I learned what an actual serving size is, and reading about about organic diets brought into my mind an overall awareness of the dangers of processed foods and commercial pesticides. I don't regret going on any of these "diets" for one minute! I may not have lost 50 pounds or gotten into a size 2 but I learned valuable things about how I like to eat and what is healthy.

I came up with this recipe as a more healthy alternative to the traditional brownies. I really think that the olive oil, dark bitter chocolate chunks, and coarse salt add a new dimension to the brownies. I'm really happy to be able to put my new knowledge of baking together with my old knowledge about healthy food. And, btw these are amazing!!

Cocoa and Olive Oil Brownies with Dark Chocolate Chunks and Sea Salt
Yield: 16 small brownies

INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup olive oil
2 large eggs
3.5 ounces (1 bar) dark chocolate (60-72%), chopped into small pieces
coarse salt for sprinkling

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8" square pan, line in either direction with aluminum foil, overlapping the sides by few inches, and grease the foil.

In a large bowl whisk together the cocoa, flour, 1/4 tsp salt, baking powder, and sugar. Add in the olive oil and eggs. Whisk just to combine, there should be no visible flour or large lumps, but you shouldn't be whisking after that point. Gently fold in the chopped chocolate. Pour into the prepared pan and sprinkle generously with coarse salt. Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes. Do not overcook, you want the brownies to by fudgey! Let them cool for 30 minutes before lifting the brownies out of the pan with the foil. Slice into 16 pieces and enjoy!

SOURCE
Sarah Cupcake original

15-Minute Tropical Granola

I decided to make some tropical granola the other day. You wouldn't believe how easy it is to come up with something tropical. There's like fifty different kinds of dried fruit at the grocery store and there's at least three called just "tropical". Plus granola usually always has some kind of nuts and macadamia nuts are totally tropical, too. Then there's the issue of coconut in granola. All in all I'm pretty smitten. My special granola tastes just like tropical granola without tasting at all like artificial pina colada flavoring or some such. And it's definitely a welcome switch up on vanilla Chobani yogurt if that's what you normally eat. And summer's coming? Shut.Up. :)

Tropical Granola
Yield: about 2 1/2 cups

INGREDIENTS
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts
2 tbl light brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup honey
3 tbl canola oil
1 cup dried tropical fruit medley
1/3 cup shredded coconut

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl mix together the oats, macadamias, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, honey, and canola oil. Mix until thoroughly combined and the oats are completely coated. Spread in an even layer on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Toss the granola, it will feel slightly wet when you take it out of the oven. It will harden as it cools. When the granola is cool enough to handle toss it with the dried fruit and coconut. Continue to cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container.

SOURCE
Sarah Cupcake original

Greek Yogurt Dill Dip

Oh yeah baby. This dip is freaking amazing. I grew up on Hidden Valley Ranch dip, the kind that comes powdered in the packet that you mix with a tub of sour cream. You just can't reproduce that much flavor with homemade dip. Wait, I take that back. I've now learned that that's totally possible to do. You can actually make something that tastes better and maybe even different like this dill dip. I've had greek yogurt dill dip homemade before and to be honest, it just wasn't that good. It was bland no matter how much salt I shook on it because all it had in it was greek yogurt, lemon juice, and dill. It was just blahh, but I pretended to be like everyone else and act like it was the best dip since Hidden Valley Ranch, totally NOT. That old dill dip needed way more rounding out and enhancing of the dill flavor. I didn't know that then, but I do now. Now I know that you need things like crushed garlic, minced onion, worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, mustard powder, pepper, and mayonnaise to make mouthwatering dill flavor. And dill, too. I don't know if this dip is still constituted as "healthy" since I let the cat out of the bag on the mayonnaise thing, but I don't really care. I'll just call it flavor and pretend it's calorie-less like the mustard powder and pepper. Eeeeeven though it's not. Because, let's face it, I probably won't be making or eating this dip for another century. I'm exaggerating, but I'm actually "dieting", whatever that means, and I've been seeing how many extra calories I've been taking in through bites here and there or excessive portion sizes of things like brown rice or avocados that adding an extra element of "dip" into my life would cause sheer and utter breakdown of all weight loss producing habits. Sadface. I still love you, my dill dip. Please make this dill dip and honor its memory, for me. Thanks. Love :)

Greek Yogurt Dill Dip
Yield: about 2 1/2 cups

INGREDIENTS
16 ounce container plain greek yogurt (about 2 cups)
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup minced fresh dill
3 tbl (or 1/2 small) onion, finely minced
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp kosher salt

DIRECTIONS
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and chill until ready to serve. Eat with veggie sticks or bread cubes. A great vehicle for this dip is a sourdough or pumpernickel bread bowl with the middle used as cubes for dipping.

SOURCE
adapted from Epicurious.

Milk Bar Carrot Layer Cake

Everybody pray for me tonight! Tomorrow I'm taking my second to last test before the end of the semester and graduation, and I need to get above a 77 and preferably in the 90s! I can't believe it's almost here, and I'm one step closer to achieving my goal of becoming an nurse anesthetist! I can't believe I'm going to be starting a new career and moving on from my life as I've known it. Jason, Riley, and I will FINALLY be able to all move in together and be a family. It's been sooo hard being apart for the past three years!!!

And now on to the cake. This carrot layer cake was something I made for Easter dessert. It's got a total of 10 layers including the carrot cake, liquid cheesecake, milk crumb, and graham cracker frosting. All those flavors mixed together in one bite are aaaaaaaamazing. I can't believe I made this cake!!! Go to this post for more information about the supplies for this cake. The recipe for this is really long and lengthy, and while I'd love to post it all right now (and I'll explain why I'm not) I think I'm going to split up the parts over the next few weeks.

I absolutely love the pictures I took. I don't give a flying crap if Foodgawker or Tastespotting turn them down for their websites. Some of the pictures on that site are crap anyways, I don't know who the hell they have editing that stuff. Anyways, the light was shining in the windows just right and I actually got a decent shot with the background out of focus. Wish it was maybe even a little more out of focus! Right now I'm drinking green tea and doing NCLEX practice questions. I probably won't get any sleep tonight. It's 8pm and I still have to put Riley to bed, go spend time with Jason, put together my poster papers for our group project on gestational diabetes, and STUDY!! I'm jonesing to go to the gym and feel the burn too. God, I already need sleep. The tireds are beginning. And a headache. Wahhhh. At least in Massachusetts there's five Dunkin' Donuts in every town. I don't need the calories, though, so I guess I'll just have to suffer the long sleepless night on green tea with honey and pray that my face doesn't fall in my paper tomorrow morning. Wish me luck!! :X

P.S. Which one of these pictures do you like the best??? And why???

Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs

These are some of the most perfectly balanced deviled eggs I've ever had. I didn't think it could get much better than regular old deviled eggs with mayo and paprika, but when I did an internet search for "smoked salmon deviled eggs" and found this recipe I knew I had a contender. The Ina Garten recipe I adapted was absolutely perfect for my tastes! It's super flavorful with cream cheese, chives, lemon juice, and of course, smoked salmon.

These are slightly more fancy-ish than deviled eggs, but more importantly they're just dang good. I made them for Easter since I usually don't spend the time to assemble little things like this unless it's a special holiday. I might have to make these just for the hell of it. Maybe they'd go well with tequila and The Real Housewives? I think so. Nom nom nom. Happy Easter everyone, I hope you shared it with loving family and celebrated the beautiful spring day that it was!

Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs
Yield: 24 deviled eggs

INGREDIENTS
12 large eggs
4 ounces cream cheese
2 tbl plain yogurt or sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tbl fresh lemon juice
2 tbl minced fresh chives, plus more for garnish
1 tsp kosher salt
4 ounces smoked salmon, all but 2 tbl minced

DIRECTIONS
Place the eggs carefully in a large pot and cover completely with cold water. Bring to a boil, turn off the heat, and cover. Let stand for 7 minutes. Place the pot in the sink and let cold water run into the pot until the eggs are completely cooled. Remove the shells, discard, and slice each egg in half lengthwise. Scoop out the yolks and reserve.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together the reserved yolks, cream cheese, yogurt/sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, chives, and salt until light and fluffy and no lumps remain. Add the minced salmon and beat to combine. Spoon or pipe the filling evenly among the 24 egg halves. Top each egg with a piece of reserved salmon and a sprinkling of fresh chives. Serve immediately or chill.

SOURCE
heavily adapted from Ina Garten via the Food Network.

Milk Bar Birthday Layer Cake

I think this post is better illustrated through pictures.

Here's the layer layout: birthday cake, birthday cake soak, birthday cake frosting, birthday cake crumb, birthday cake frosting, repeat, repeat.

In case you're wondering, this cake will change your life. You'll go from being an ordinary human of this earth to a unicorn.

If you don't know what the Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook is then check it out here. It's a collection of out of this world amazing desserts. Seriously don't change a thing about this recipe - even the imitation vanilla extract.

If you want to make someone really happy, make them this birthday cake. Or, just make it for yourself because you're a fat kid and you want cake. That should be the underlying truth behind every decision you make when it comes to dessert.

This cake requires some things you most likely don't just have hanging around like a quarter sheet pan, 6-inch cake ring, food-grade acetate strips, imitation vanilla extract, citric acid (if you want to buy this to use only as a pinch in the frosting then skip it, but it'a also used in a ton of other Milk Bar recipes), and rainbow sprinkles. I hope you already know how to buy flour, sugar, and butter.

Birthday Layer Cake
Yield: one 6-inch cake

COMPONENTS 
1 batch birthday cake (recipe below)
1 batch birthday cake soak (recipe below)
1 batch birthday cake frosting (recipe below)
1 batch birthday cake crumbs (recipe below)

ASSEMBLY
Invert the birthday cake onto a sheet of parchment paper or silpat, and peel off the parchment paper backing. Using the 6-inch cake ring, cut out two circles. These will be the top and middle layers.

Clean the cake ring and place it on a sheet of parchment paper or silpat atop a baking sheet. Line the cake circle with one sheet of acetate. Take the cake scraps that remain after cutting out the cake circles and use them as the bottom layer. Use the back of your hand to press them into an even layer.

Brush half the birthday cake soak over the base of cake. Spread one fifth of the birthday cake frosting over the base layer. Then sprinkle with one-third of the birthday cake crumbs, pressing them gently into the frosting with the back of your hand. Top with another fifth of the birthday cake frosting, carefully spreading it so that it is even, but without disturbing the crumbs.

Top with a full circle of cake (save the nicest one for the top layer), brush the rest of the cake soak over this layer, top with another one fifth of the frosting, one third of the cake crumbs, and another one fifth of the frosting.

Take another strip of acetate and wedge it between the cake ring and first layer of acetate so that there is ample room for the remaining layers. Top with the last circle of cake, remaining fifth of frosting, and third of cake crumbs.

Freeze the cake for at least 12 hours to set everything and make the unmolding process much easier.

Three hours before serving, retrieve the pan from the freezer, and gently push the cake through the ring. Place it on a cake stand or plate. Gently peel off the acetate strips.

Let the cake defrost in the fridge before serving. Cut neatly with a large chef's knife.

Birthday Cake

INGREDIENTS
2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup + 2 tbl rainbow sprinkles
4 tbl (1/2 stick) salted butter, at room temp
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tbl light brown sugar, tightly packed
3 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
2 tsp McCormick brand clear imitation vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350. Prepare a rimmed quarter sheet pan by spraying with cooking spray and covering the base with a sheet of parchment. Set aside.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and 1/4 cup sprinkles in a small bowl. Set the dry ingredients aside for later.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, shortening, and sugars on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed.

Add the eggs (all at once) and then beat again on medium-high for another 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl.

With the mixer on low speed, add the wet ingredients (buttermilk, canola oil, and imitation vanilla) in a steady stream. Increase the mixer to medium-high speed and beat for another 4 to 6 minutes. The mixture should double in size and turn practically white. Don't stop mixing until the mixture is completely homogeneous, with no visible streaks of oil or fat.

With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients, and mix for another minute or so until the ingredients are just combined.

Pour out the batter into the prepared sheet pan, spreading it out into an even layer. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tbl of sprinkles.

Bake for 30–35 minutes until the cake bounces back slightly when gently pressed in the corner. The center of the cake should no longer jiggle when the pan is shook. Cool the cake completely in the pan on a wire rack.

Birthday Cake Soak

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp McCormick brand clear imitation vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
Whisk together the milk and vanilla in a small cup or bowl.

Birthday Cake Crumb

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tbl light brown sugar, tightly packed
3/4 cup cake flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbl rainbow sprinkles
1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 tbl McCormick brand clear imitation vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 300 and line a baking sheet with a Silpat or piece of parchment.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugars, flour, baking powder, salt, and sprinkles. Mix on low speed until combined.

Stream in the oil and the imitation vanilla on low speed and continue beating the mixture until the ingredients clump and form small clusters.

Carefully spread the clusters in a thin layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake them for about 20 minutes, breaking up occasionally. They will be slightly moist but will harden as they cool. Let them cool completely before using.

Birthday Cake Frosting

INGREDIENTS
8 tbl (1 stick) salted butter, at room temp
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 ounces cream cheese, at room temp
2 tbl light corn syrup
1 tbl McCormick brand clear imitation vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
pinch baking powder
pinch citric acid

DIRECTIONS
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, shortening, and the cream cheese for 2 to 3 minutes on medium-high until the mixture is smooth and fluffy.

Add the glucose, corn syrup, and vanilla, and beat the mixture on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes or until the mixture is smooth and glossy white.

Add the powdered sugar, baking powder, and citric acid on low speed until just combined. Crank the mixer to high speed and beat for 2 to 3 minutes or until the mixture is stark white and fluffy.

SOURCE
Momofuku Milk Bar Cookbook.

Kale Ricotta Stuffed Shells

I really love kale in just about everything. It's super simple to saute in olive oil and garlic w/ a spritz of lemon juice for a side, awesome to puree into a homemade smoothie, a perfect addition to raw frozen pies, and amazing to crisp up in the oven like crunchy potato chips. It's actually really neutral in flavor so it doesn't give off a strong spinach vibe. I love this recipe because it's easy to make, healthy, and most importantly tastes really great. 

To make these stuffed shells I used a simple homemade tomato sauce that I make a lot. It's really versatile and you can easily make a double batch of the sauce to use for a number of other recipes. If you want to make this even easier you could always use canned prepared tomato sauce, but just make sure it's something with a mild flavor.

Want to make this recipe even simpler?? Just use a good prepared tomato sauce like I said (but it's sooo easy to make it homemade) and two 10 ounce packages of frozen, thawed, and drained spinach. You could have it in the oven in 15 minutes!!

P.S. I calculated this out to be a little over 300 calories for 4 shells. 

Kale Ricotta Stuffed Shells

1 tbl olive oil

6 cloves garlic, minced and divided

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, divided

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes (or whole tomatoes pureed)

1 large bunch kale, chopped and steamed (about 2 cups)
15 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup (about 4 ounces) grated Parmesan, divided
salt and pepper to taste
24 jumbo pasta shells, freshly cooked

In a medium saucepan heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add 3 cloves worth of the minced garlic and stir briefly to disperse. Add 1/8 tsp of the red pepper flakes and cook for about 30 seconds or until the garlic is fragrant but not browned. Add the crushed or pureed tomatoes, lower the heat to low, and let simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add the drained chopped kale, ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup of the parmesan cheese, and remaining 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes to a large bowl. Stir to combine and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spread about 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce in a 9x13" baking dish. Fill each shell with the ricotta mixture and arrange in the pan in a single layer. Cover with the remaining tomato sauce and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup parmesan chese. Cover loosely with aluminum foil and bake for about 30 minutes.

Source: Sarah Cupcake original.