"Sneaky Dad's Pudding"

Taken directly from the book "Becoming Vegan" by Brenda Davis, R.D. and Vesanto Melina, M.S., R.D.

1 1/2 cups frozen strawberries
1 banana, cut into 4 pieces
1-2 teaspoons cocoa powder
2 teaspoons flaxseed oil (or fish oil)
3-5 tablespoons nut butter (almond, cashew, peanut, etc.)
2-3 tablespoons orange juice (or other juice like apple or carrot)
2 tablespoons soymilk, almond milk, rice milk or regular milk
1/8-1/4 avocado

Puree everything in a food processor until a pudding like consistency. Makes 2 very large servings.

**Note-this "pudding" provides a great source of protein, fiber, calories and healthy fat. So sneaky!

Low-Fat Double Chocolate Brownies

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso or coffee powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet)
Butter-flavored cooking spray

Oven at 350 degrees. Spray an 8x8 inch non-stick cake pan with spray.

In a medium mixing bowl, using a sturdy whisk or spatula, mix the applesauce, vanilla, egg whites and sugar until they are well combined.

Add the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, and salt. Stir the mixture until it is just combined and no lumps remain. Pour it into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the chips evenly over the top. Bake the brownies for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry (a few crumbs are okay).

Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and allow them to cool 5 minutes. Cut into 12 equal brownies.

**Note-Each brownie has 88 calories, and 1 g fat. Traditional Double Chocolate Brownies have 260 calories, and 12 g fat.

**Note-These brownies are really really moist-so moist you might have a hard time cutting them and getting them to stay together in traditional brownie squares. However you wind up serving them, they're worth it since they are so tasty and so low fat and calorie!

Orange-Nut Bread

2 cups flour (you may use all or half whole wheat if you wish)
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
zest of one orange
¾ cup walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts or almonds, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
¾ cup orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Oven at 325. Grease or spay a loaf pan. In a bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and zest. Add nuts and stir until evenly distributed. Mix together wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Make a well and add the melted butter, eggs, orange juice and vanilla. Stir until smooth. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake about 50-60 minutes, until the top is brown and firm and the sides are pulling away from the pan. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.

Easy Peanut Butter and Chocolate Eclair Dessert

1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) vanilla flavor instant pudding
1-3/4 cups cold milk
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tub (8 oz.) whipped topping, thawed
24 honey graham crackers
6 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate
3 tablespoons butter

Beat pudding mix and milk in large with whisk 2 min. Add peanut butter; mix well. Stir in whipped topping. Layer 1/3 of the grahams and half the pudding mixture in 13x9-inch dish, breaking grahams as necessary to fit. Repeat layers. Top with remaining grahams.
Microwave chocolate and butter in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min., stirring after 1 min. Stir until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended. Spread over grahams.
Refrigerate 8 hours.

**Note-Incredibly delicious!

Basic Poke Cake

1 box cake mix of yellow or white cake, baked according to package directions in a 9x13 pan

2 cups boiling water
1 pkg. (6 oz.) or 2 pkg. (3 oz. each) Flavored gelatin of your choice

Pierce baked cake with large fork at 1/2-inch intervals.
Add boiling water to gelatin mix; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Carefully pour over cake layers. Refrigerate 3 hours.

Frost with frosting of your choice or with simple whipped cream.

**Note-this is a very versatile cake and can be made in nearly any combination.

Fudgy Chocolate Layer Cake

¾ cup butter (1 ½ sticks)
2 squares unsweetened baking chocolate
2 ¼ cups flour
2 cups sugar
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 ¾ cups buttermilk
2 eggs, room temperature

Oven at 350. Grease and flour 2 9 inch round cake pans. (For extra assurance, line the bottom of the pans with cut parchment paper.) In a saucepan, melt butter and chocolate, stirring over low heat (Or you may melt them in the microwave together for 1-2 minutes on high.)

Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl of electric mixer. Add chocolate mixture, buttermilk and eggs. Beat on low speed for 1 minute, increase to high and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Divide batter between cake pans. Bake until cakes spring back when gently pressed about 25-30 minutes. Cool in pans 5-10 minutes and then invert on a wire rack to cool.

Frost with frosting of your choice.

Oatmeal Carrot Muffins

1 cup whole wheat flour
¾ cup oatmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1 ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
¾ teaspoon salt
1 egg
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup oil
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 toddler sized jar baby food (about 3/4 cup pureed carrots)

Oven at 350. Combine dry ingredients. Mix wet ingredients in a separate bowl and add to dry. Mix until moistened, being careful not to over mix. Bake 15-18 minutes in muffin cups. Makes 12 muffins.