no-bake berry smoothie cheesecake

cheesecake is one of those crowd-pleasing, beautiful desserts. but, let's be honest - it's pretty much terrible for you.

i found this version by philadelphia (like the cream cheese) that i absolutely love. made with 1/3 less fat (neuschfatel cheese - have i mentioned i use this in everything. i never ever ever use real cream cheese) and cool whip, it's far lighter than the original. and you don't have to bake it so it whips up in no time.

theirs is a berry smoothie version which is amazing, but try your own add ins - swirl in peanut butter and chocolate, other fruit, or just top with pie filling. i'm going to do it plain and top it with red raspberry pie filling for a festive feel.

no-bake berry smoothie cheesecake
16 servings

2 cups graham cracker crumbs (make your own!)
6 tablespoons butter, melted (you can't escape the butter, so we'll cut back elsewhere)
3 tablespoons sugar
4 (8 oz) packages 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened (never pay more than $1)
3/4 cup sugar
1 12 oz package frozen mixed berries, thawed and drained (or your own topping)
1 tub whipped topping lite or fat free

1. line 13x9 pan with foil with ends extending over the edge of the pan. mix graham cracker crumbs, butter and 3 tablespoons sugar, press onto bottom of prepared pan. refrigerate while preparing filling.
2. beat cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar in large bowl with electric mixer until well blended. add berries, beat on low speed just until blended. gently stir in whipped topping. spoon over crust; cover.
3. refrigerate 4 hours or until firm. use foil handles to remove cheesecake from pan before cutting to serve. store leftovers in refrigerator.



what dessert are you serving for christmas/christmas eve dinner??

raspberry bread pudding

there's this quaint little sandwich shop in provo, ut (where i went to college at BYU) that has delicious.... everything. for the most part its a pretty healthy place to lunch, too.

with the most delicious exception - kneaders' raspberry bread pudding. wow. it's too good. but it's also too bad, made with whole cream.

so after too much time craving it i found a copy cat recipe on the sisters cafe, deciding i just had to have it since it isn't down the street anymore. but when i went to buy half and half to make it a bit lighter i made an amazing discovery. did you know that wal-mart has fat free half and half? i didn't. (i'm not sure what is in it to make it half and half since half and half is 1/2 cream, 1/2 milk. don't ask don't tell.) but now i do and i would gladly take this drastically fat and calorie reduced version of this delicious dessert over the original any day.

it makes a ton - a perfect dessert to serve at a big Christmas dinner. i hope you enjoy it at yours.

i keep forgetting to take a picture. it gets eaten too fast. and you can make it without the vanilla sauce. it's still amazing and then there is no butter or oil in the whole thing. you decide how to splurge.

kneaders' raspberry bread pudding
healthified from the sister's cafe

10-12 servings

cream mix

1 1/2 loaves aged, french bread

1 quart fat free half and half

3 cups sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

in large bowl combine cream, sugar, egg and vanilla. cut bread into 1 1/2" cubes (or do this ahead and let it sit out and get stale to "age" it!) and add to cream mixture, coating bread well. let stand 30 minutes stirring every 5 minutes to allow cream to absorb completely.

fruit filling
5 cups frozen raspberries

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup apple juice

combine raspberries, sugar and apple juice, stirring until sugar is dissolved.

layer a roasting pan (13x9 is too small!) 3/4 full with bread mixture, pour fruit filling over bread mixture, spreading evenly, top with remaining bread. bake 40 minutes at 375 degrees. serve warm. top with vanilla sauce.

vanilla sauce (makes enough for 2 batches of bread pudding with how much we put on!)
1 1/3 cup butter

5 tablespoons flour

3 cups fat free half and half

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/3 cup sugar

over medium heat melt butter, and add flour stir 10 minutes until it has a nutty aroma, do not brown. add cream and sugar and boil till mixture is thick, remove from heat adding vanilla. serve this wonderful sauce cold.

store leftovers in fridge and eat for breakfast. but don't tell anyone i told you to do that.

happy 4th of july - wave your flag cheesecake!

happy 4th of july. i majored in early american history in college, so this time of year gives me warm fuzzies. hope it does you, too!

worst. picture. ever. i know.

celebrate with this delicious and festive dessert... and you're much better off eating this than lots of other things you could be eating this weekend!

and yes, i realize this is the worse. picture. ever. ever. ever. yikes. in my defense i was participating in the annual traditions of sit in the sun for 3 hours and watch the parade and then spend the rest of the day in and out of the water. lovely. the cheesecake looks delicious, though, right?

wave your flag cheesecake
modified from kraftrecipes.com

4 cups fresh strawberries, divided

1-1/2 cups boiling water

2 packages (3 oz. each) strawberry flavor jello

ice cubes

1 cup cold water

1 boxed yellow cake mix, baked according to directions accept use applesauce for oil and sliced into strips

1-1/3 cups blueberries (or blackberries), divided

2 packages 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1 tub (8 oz.) fat free cool whip (or the store brand!)

slice 1 cup strawberries; halve remaining strawberries. set aside. add boiling water to gelatin mixes in large bowl; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. add ice to cold water to measure 2 cups. add to gelatin; stir until ice is completely melted. refrigerate 5 min. or until slightly thickened.

meanwhile, line bottom of 13x9-inch dish with cake. add sliced strawberries and 1 cup blueberries to thickened gelatin; stir gently. spoon over cake. refrigerate 4 hours or until gelatin is firm.

beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with whisk until well blended. stir in cool whip; spread over gelatin. arrange strawberry halves on cream cheese mixture to resemble stripes of flag. add remaining blueberries for stars.

enjoy!

--------

by the way, i've been brunette for 3 1/2 years now, but as of next week, the blonde is back in town. i'll post pictures.

wheaties fuel no bake cookies

sorry for the lack of blogging, but we got some weird stomach bug and didn't eat pretty much all last week. we just felt yucky.

luckily, we're back to our favorite family activity - eating. :)

i've been wanting to create something delicious with wheaties fuel cereal since i got a couple of boxes really cheap couponing. they have a super yummy honey flavor and i like to eat them as a snack with a tiny spoonful of peanut butter mixed in. add a few more ingredients and you've got a seriously show stopping cookie. i like these lots better than regular no bake cookies (our friends we shared them with last night did too) and they don't have any butter so they are way less unhealthy for you! and they were super easy and quick. enjoy!

wheaties fuel no bake cookies
2 1/2 dozen cookies

3/4 cup light caro syrup
3/4 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 heaping cup old fashioned oats
1 1/2 heaping cup wheaties fuel cereal

1. combine caro syrup, sugar and cocoa powder in good sized sauce pan (you're going to add the rest of the ingredients to the pan so make sure you have enough space). stir frequently over medium heat until it begins boiling. stir constantly once boiling and only leave it on the heat long enough that all of the ingredients are combined and smooth.
2. remove from heat. stir in peanut butter and vanilla until melted and smooth. add oats and cereal. stir until combined.
3. drop by rounded tablespoonfuls (i used my cookie scooper) onto wax paper and let cool. store in an air tight container.

moving!

we're moving!!!! and my next cooking adventure will be on granite counter tops. they installed them today. they are amazing. i'm completely in love. i realize that's a very shallow thing to be in love with, but at least i'm honest.

so, no five ingredient friday. sorry, but i have to disconnect my computer and internet right... now!!!

let's all celebrate heat proof, cut proof stone counters with a completely non-healthy cookie recipe!

these cookies made with graham cracker crumbs are amazing - http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chewy-Cinnamon-Cookies/Detail.aspx. don't forget to undercook!

have a great weekend!

a spotlight and a guest post

the skinny bovines kitchen was recently featured on two awesome blogs - secrets of mom and the tree of life!

heather at secrets of mom gives great mom tips all over the board - i love to read her stuff. she just wrote a post on getting organized and i'm feeling completely inspired.

jenna at the tree of life writes about nesting/homemaking of all kinds - gardening, sewing, cooking, baking, etc. and invited me to guest post last friday. i even posted the most wonderful, delicious, all-time best and completely unhealthy chocolate chip cookie recipe. check it out here.

thanks, girls, for featuring me! i appreciate other bloggers and the things we can share back and forth to make all of our lives better and easier!

orange juice cake

this is a fool-proof recipe. there is nothing you can do to mess it up if you follow the directions. it's springy, would look lovely on your easter table and is always a crowd pleaser. and it's super simple - which makes it even better! enjoy!

orange juice cake
from: my mother-in-law

1 yellow cake mix
1 small package instant vanilla pudding
1 tablespoons flour
1 cup orange juice
4 eggs
nuts, finely chopped (optional)

pour a few chopped nuts on the bottom of a well-greased bunt pan. (i used mini bunts this time, see pic, but i wouldn't suggest it. it wasn't as good!) mix all ingredients and pour into bunt pan. bake 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees.

glaze (reduced fat version)

1 cup sugar
2/3 cup orange juice

combine in saucepan, boil 2-3 minutes. pour over hot cake while still in pan (i like to save a little bit to drizzle over the top after i turn it out). turn cake out after 15 minutes.

*glaze (regular version)

1 cup sugar
1 stick butter
1/4 c orange juice

same directions as above.

*just for reference, 1 stick of butter adds 92 calories and 810 grams of fat to your cake. yikes. the entire cake has less than a 1/4 of that much fat without it.

easter dessert: no guilt carrot cake bars with cream cheese unfrosting

the babies and i have the plague over here, so i'm thinking lots of sitting around and eating sweets for easter weekend. you with me? we aren't buying any easter candy, so we'll have to get our fix through desserts.

long, long ago i wrote a post about making healthy desserts. here's a repost along with the most delicious, totally guilt-free dessert to go with it. it makes a huge 10x15 jelly roll pan, so it goes a long way. it will be sure to feed, and please, all of the mouths at your easter feast! (find original post here)

i'll post another fun, springy easter dessert tomorrow! if you want to make it, prepare ahead and make sure you have a yellow cake mix, a small box of instant vanilla pudding, eggs and orange juice. mmm....

making "healthy" desserts

i realize "healthy dessert" is an oxy moron, but there are some things you can do to make your desserts lots healthier than they start out. here are a few quick tricks, some of which i've discussed before and some of which may be new!

• make friends with your dessert. this may seem like a strange part of this list, but one of the best ways to make dessert healthier is to eat less of it! duh! get your fix in and then give lots away to your friends and neighbors. they'll appreciate it and you'll be glad you didn't get sick on your cookie dough. (i did this last week, so i would know. it was soooo yummy though... i just needed to make the cookies and get them out the door faster.)
• never use oil. if a recipe calls for oil, use applesauce or yogurt instead. 1:1 ratio works great.
• avoid recipes with lots of butter. you may often be able to find a recipe that is similar that uses oil instead of butter and then you can substitute it.
• sneak in some non-white flour. it drives my husband crazy when he knows i do this, but if he doesn't know, he often loves is and then i tell him what i did! ha! i like to use part wheat or part oat flour (put some oats in your blender for this!). i made this apple cake from elise's simplyrecipes.com a few weeks back with part wheat flour and it was fabulous!
• add wheat germ or flax seed in place of some of the flour. these are extra, super healthy for you and a little bit goes a long way. i wouldn't substitute more than 1/4 to 1/3 of the flour for these.
• cut back the sugar. this doesn't always work, but some recipes call for way too much sugar and it tastes better with less. just taste your batter to make sure you didn't take too much out. honey is expensive, but you can also use some honey instead of sugar - it's better for you!
• use fat free ingredients, even if you're usually opposed. baking is a great time to use fat free cream cheese, sour cream, milk, etc. because however much you think they taste different, it's hard to taste the difference when they're baked into things.
• make recipes that include a fruit or veggie. i love apple cake, carrot cake and zucchini bread. mmmm....

the applesauce for oil substitution will work in any recipe. try the flour and sugar ones. if it isn't yummy in one recipe try it in another!

*i wanted to use some of the homemade baby food my daughter is no longer eating so i decided to create these carrot cake bars. (have no fear, you can simply steam some carrots and run them through your blender with some water. 4 oz is about 4 ice cube sized blocks). they have no white flour, no oil or butter, lots of carrots and even the un-frosting has no butter and has less than a cup of powdered sugar instead of like 4-5 cups like normal frosting. i brought them to a church thing and people couldn't believe what wasn't in them. you can see how good they were from the picture. :)

no-guilt carrot cake bars with cream cheese un-frosting

makes 1 jelly roll pan-full

3/4 cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups applesauce
3 eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 cup oat flour
1 cup wheat flour
½ cup wheat germ (or 1/2 cup more oat/wheat flour if you don't have wheat germ)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 (4 ounce) jar carrot baby food (or homemade baby food, see * note above)
1 cup shredded carrots (or more if you'd like!)
½ cup un sweetened shredded coconut (optional), soaked in water for 20 minutes

1. cream sugar, brown sugar and applesauce. add vanilla and eggs and cream again.

2. add oat flour, wheat flour, wheat germ, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. mix until combined. add carrot baby food and mix again until combined.

3. stir in shredded carrots and coconut.

4. bake at 350 for 18-22 minutes in a jelly roll pan (10x15 cookie sheet). done when toothpick comes out clean.

cream cheese un-frosting

whip 1 block 1/3 less fat cream cheese (softened). then add 4 tablespoons milk and ¼ cup + 3 tablespoons powdered sugar and whip until combined. spread over carrot cake bars.

avocado shakes: my new favorite snack

since going dairy-free for my baby boy, snacking has been slightly more painful for me. my favorite snack is fruit, which still works, but i really love to snack on cheese during the day and a few bites of ice cream is a perfect snack right before bed. clearly i needed a solution to this problem.

i found one! thanks to my little brother. an avocado shake. no ice cream or yogurt needed - the avocado makes it smooth and creamy. if you love the taste of avocado then try just that. if you want it to be subtle - add more fruit! my hubby's favorite is avocado-banana-apple. my fav it avocado-apple.

skinny bovine's avocado shake

puree the following in your blender:

• crushed ice (less for 1, creamier shake - a little more for 2, slightly icier shakes. see about how much in pic below.)
• 1 ripe avocado (makes 1 or 2 shakes, depending on how much ice and fruit you add)
• milk (i use vanilla soy milk, just enough to get it to blend)
• sugar (a few spoonfuls, but add to taste. if you have a little extra cash lying around, i think this shake would be fabulous sweetened with agave nectar - and healthier too!)

other yummy things to add:

• other fruit - we've tried and liked grapefruit (see pic), apple (the whole thing, decored of course) and banana (for 2 shakes i'll do 1 avocado, 1 whole banana and 1 whole apple)
  
• apple juice (instead of part of the milk)
  
• a dash of lime juice

recipe of the week: trifle

my family-in-law got me hooked on trifle. it is one of my favorite desserts because it's so yummy and so easy... and you can get totally creative with it and its always divine. then again, i think anything with pudding is delicious. :) we don't always make trifles that are skinny bovine approved (sometimes real whipping cream or oil-filled brownies sneak in there), but this one is.

banana cream trifle

makes as much as you'd like!

layer the following ingredients in any order and quantity you'd like (the amounts i used for this size trifle in parentheses):

sliced bananas (5)

vanilla wafers (2 cups maybe)

cubes of yellow cake (baked with applesauce instead of oil) (1/2 a 13 x 9 cake)

vanilla pudding (made with skim milk) (2 small boxes)

fat free whipped topping (generic cool whip - cheaper!) (1 regular size container)

some other fun ingredient combinations to try (not as healthy or cheap as the above, but absolutely delicious):

berries (strawberries, raspberries, etc.), vanilla pudding, cool whip, yellow or angel food cake

chocolate cake, pudding of your choice, cool whip, cookie and/or brownie pieces, chocolate syrup, caramel

try different combinations of goodies with fruit or other toppings. mmmm... so easy and it's beautiful so it's always impressive to dessert guests!

making "healthy" desserts

i realize "healthy dessert" is an oxy moron, but there are some things you can do to make your desserts lots healthier than they start out. here are a few quick tricks, some of which i've discussed before and some of which may be new!

• make friends with your dessert. this may seem like a strange part of this list, but one of the best ways to make dessert healthier is to eat less of it! duh! get your fix in and then give lots away to your friends and neighbors. they'll appreciate it and you'll be glad you didn't get sick on your cookie dough. (i did this last week, so i would know. it was soooo yummy though... i just needed to make the cookies and get them out the door faster.
• never use oil. if a recipe calls for oil, use applesauce or yogurt instead. 1:1 ratio works great.
• avoid recipes with lots of butter. you may often be able to find a recipe that is similar that uses oil instead of butter and then you can substitute it.
• sneak in some non-white flour. it drives my husband crazy when he knows i do this, but if he doesn't know, he often loves is and then i tell him what i did! ha! i like to use part wheat or part oat flour (put some oats in your blender for this!). i made this apple cake from elise's simplyrecipes.com a few weeks back with part wheat flour and it was fabulous!
• add wheat germ or flax seed in place of some of the flour. these are extra, super healthy for you and a little bit goes a long way. i wouldn't substitute more than 1/4 to 1/3 of the flour for these.
• cut back the sugar. this doesn't always work, but some recipes call for way too much sugar and it tastes better with less. just taste your batter to make sure you didn't take too much out. honey is expensive, but you can also use some honey instead of sugar - it's better for you!
• use fat free ingredients, even if you're usually opposed. baking is a great time to use fat free cream cheese, sour cream, milk, etc. because however much you think they taste different, it's hard to taste the difference when they're baked into things.
• make recipes that include a fruit or veggie. i love apple cake, carrot cake and zucchini bread. mmmm....

the applesauce for oil substitution will work in any recipe. try the flour and sugar ones. if it isn't yummy in one recipe try it in another!

i wanted to use some of the homemade baby food my daughter is no longer eating so i decided to create these carrot cake bars. (have no fear, you can simply steam some carrots and run them through your blender with some water. 4 oz is about 4 ice cube sized blocks). they have no white flour, no oil or butter, lots of carrots and even the un-frosting has no butter and has less than a cup of powdered sugar instead of like 4-5 cups like normal frosting. i brought them to a church thing and people couldn't believe what wasn't in them. you can see how good they were from the picture. :)

no-guilt carrot cake bars with cream cheese un-frosting

makes 1 jelly roll pan-full

3/4 cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups applesauce
3 eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 cup oat flour
1 cup wheat flour
½ cup wheat germ
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 (4 ounce) jar carrot baby food (or homemade baby food, see note above)
1 cup shredded carrots (or more if you'd like!)
½ cup un sweetened shredded coconut (optional), soaked in water for 20 minutes

1. cream sugar, brown sugar and applesauce. add vanilla and eggs and cream again.

2. add oat flour, wheat flour, wheat germ, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. mix until combined. add carrot baby food and mix again until combined.

3. stir in shredded carrots and coconut.

4. bake at 350 for 18-22 minutes in a jelly roll pan. done when toothpick comes out clean.

cream cheese un-frosting

whip 1 block 1/3 less fat cream cheese (softened). then add 4 tablespoons milk and ¼ cup + 3 tablespoons powdered sugar and whip until combined. spread over carrot cake bars.