DIY Healthy: Fudge-y Chocolate Brownies (with black beans!)

Okay, darlings, let's be real.Who doesn't LOVE chocolate? We've all had those  days, when after a long day full of work, all we want is to crash on our couch and enjoy chocolate. But after getting our fill (and then some), we inevitably feel bad. With this recipe you can enjoy all the goodness without the guilt! These brownies are a snap to whip up and they are primary made of black beans! Yes, black beans. BLACK. BEANS. We were a little skeptical at first too, but with the rich brown color, mixed with cocoa, coconut oil, and chocolate chips (don't leave these out!)- we got a batch of unbelievable, tastes-just-like-the-real-thing brownies! Instead gushing about these for longer, we're just going to go right ahead and cook up another batch. And we suggest you do too!

Ingredients (recipe adapted from here):

1. Black beans (1 can)

2. Quick cooking oats (1/2 cup)

3. Chocolate chips (1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp)

4. Coconut oil (1/4 cup)

5. Almond milk (1 Tbsp)

6. Cocoa powder (2 Tbsp)

7. Maple Syrup (1/4 cup)

8. Stevia packets (3-4)

9. Vanilla extract (2 tsp)

10. Baking powder (1/2 tsp)

11. Salt (1/4 tsp)

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 8x8 pan.

2. Wash and drain the black beans.

3. Put all the ingredients, EXCEPT the chocolate chips, into your food processor. Process until smooth.

4. Fold in chocolate chips.

5. Pour batter into pan and sprinkle 2 Tbsp of chocolate chips on top.

6. Bake for 18-20 minutes.

7. Let brownies cool for at least 10 minutes.

8. ENJOY these scrumptious brownies!

DIY Eats: Banana Nut Oatmeal Bake

Today was a self-assigned snow day (if our local high school as a two-hour delay, we count that as one for us, too!), so we wanted to go full-on cozy with a Banana Nut Oatmeal Bake. It was delicious and gooey and added a warmth to our lazy breakfast, which we had looking out over the snow-- some quality AM infomercial watching may have been involved, too.

How was your snow day? Did you get buried? Nothing? Go sledding? Let us know in the comments!

Bonus: While it was in the oven, it made our whole house smell like Banana bread, so, you know, if you like the scent of vanilla and cinnamon: it's free air freshener!

DIY Eats: Easy Strawberry-Banana Oatmeal Smoothie

Let's talk about breakfast, baby! Yes, it's easy to skip when you have already skipped three-point-five alarms and only half-straightened your hair and are still two minutes late. But another few minutes and you can have yourself a complete, nutritious, metabolism-boosting breakfast to-go! 

This smoothie is sweet and creamy (but can be vegan!), and will give you the energy to power through to lunch without feeling that mid-morning lull. Or the loud, embarrassing grumbles that make your intriguing new coworker have to avoid eye contact. 

DIY Eats: Oatmeal Burrito Bowl

Want to hop on the breakfast-for-dinner trend, but sick of pancakes and waffles? (That was a trick question, no one gets sick of waffles. Ever.) But mix up your oatmeal by doing a savory version: Mexican oats in a burrito bowl! 

Quiz time! What will having these delicious oats for dinner save you? a. the walk to Chipotle, b. the delivery cost to get Chipotle delivered (does Chipotle deliver?), c. the carbs from eating rice or a tortilla at Chipotle, d. cash money. 

Another trick question. The answer is all of the above! 

Add some avocado slices and shredded lettuce for a fresh mix of textures, and refrigerate your leftovers for a quick and easy breakfast tomorrow! 

DIY Eats: Oatmeal Cinnamon Roll with Frosting

Remember the gooey, sticky sweetness of biting into a Cinnabon? Or, rather, remember yesterday at the mall when you walked by Cinnabon and almost caved but didn't? (Or, you know, did?) 

Today's oatmeal recipe is the solution to any guilt, nostalgia, or sticky fingers you may have experienced: cinnamon bun oatmeal-- with icing! 

This recipe mixes healthy ingredients like whole grains from the oatmeal, metabolism-revving cinnamon, and protein-filled tofu (yes, tofu). 

The best news of all? You can have cinnamon buns for breakfast without actually having cinnamon buns for breakfast. 

DIY Eats: Tropical Sunrise Overnight Oats

It's Day 3 of Oatmeal Week! And we have a quite the recipe for you today.

Are you suffering through a cold winter this year? We sure are! An easy way to escape the cold is to add a bit of the tropics to your meals. The combination of mangoes, pineapple, orange, citrus- you name it- will transport you right to the sunny and warm beaches of world (even though you're sitting at your kitchen table bundled up in sweaters). 

We're HUGE fans of Overnight Oats! Anything that we can prep the night before (so we can sleep in those extra few minutes), we love. But you'll be so excited to open up this delicious tropical oatmeal recipe that you're gonna jump right out of bed. 

DIY Healthy: Carrot Cake Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting

Is anyone thinking about their New Year's resolutions yet? And how many of yours are to eat healthier? That one is definitely at the top of our list. But don't wait until January 1st- start ASAP! There are so many ways to substitute ingredients into your favorite dishes, snacks, and treats to make them healthier. Today's "clean" carrot cake muffin in for our dad (who LOVES carrot cake!)- so he can join in on the healthy train while still satisfying his taste buds. We're using a mixture of spelt and whole wheat flours and non-refined sugar sweeteners for this recipe, but feel free to pick and choose what you like.

DIY Healthy: Sunshine Lemon Muffins

 We're quite the chocoholics here at DD, but sometimes you need something other than the rich, decadent taste of chocolate. You need something light and fresh. Lemon-flavored sweets are becoming our go-to when we need a break from chocolate. These super simple sunshine muffins are filled with fresh lemony goodness that will make your lips pucker in the most delightful way. These are perfect for the mornings when you need a little kick start to your day but are also great mid-day snacks or even dessert.

DIY Healthy: Basic Smoothie Base

Here at DD, we absolutely love smoothies! It's a great way to get all those healthy nutrients but in a tasty and refreshing way. Our smoothies have no refined sugar, healthy fat, and a good amount of protein. Once you have your base, you can add in your favorites fruits for a boost of flavor, sweetness and vitamins. These smoothies make a great breakfast or post-workout snack!