Carrots!

This carrot cake took me forever to make (grating the carrots and decorating) but it was worth it and I was pleased with how it turned out. Funny story, I baked this cake for our Youth Fundraiser cake auction and Aaron turned out to be highest bidder! (He said he was trying to up the bidding price.) And since we spent so much money on it and it was Mother's Day the following day, I decided to take a break from my diet and splurge.

I asked my sister who baked a delicious carrot cake for her wedding to send me her recipe. Here it is:


4 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup peanut oil (this only gives it a hint of peanut flavor, but if you opt not to use it, just omit it and don't add any more oil. 3/4 cup of vegetable oil is plenty, just don't drain the pineapple as much.)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. salt
4 cups carrots (about 1lb) grated
2/3 cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts)
1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained
I added 1/2 cup shredded coconut (opt)

This makes (2) 9" round pans.

Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 deg. F. Lightly spray (2) 9" round pans with vegetable spray. In large mixing bowl, beat eggs untill foamy, add wet ingredients and then mix in dry, adding carrots, pineapple and nuts last.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out dry. Cool 10 minutes in pans then invert onto serving plate to cool.

White Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing:
1 package (12 oz.) white candy melt chocolate
2 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 tbsp. lemon juice

Melt Candy Melts according to directions. Allow to cool slightly, stirring occasionally (don't let it harden). In mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese (preferably with a flat beater) until smooth and creamy. Gradually beat in the cooled candy until blended and smooth. Beat in the butter and lemon juice.

Smooth a small amount of icing on bottom cake layer; top side up. Top with second layer bottom side up. Frost cake with remaining icing. Gently press chopped walnuts into the sides of round cake to give it a finished look.

Refrigerate until ready to serve; bring to room temperature 30 minutes before serving.

Savory Chicken Saute & Mashed Cauliflower

I'm sorry it's been a million years since I posted anything. I wanted to share one of the most simple and one of my favorite dishes from the South Beach Diet recipe book. I find myself making this often because I usually have all the ingredients and it's so fast/easy to make.

4 Chicken Breasts (boneless, skinless)

2 TBSP Olive Oil 1 Yellow onion, chopped or sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBSP fresh, chopped rosemary leaves or 1 tsp dried
1/2 - 1 1/2 cups chicken broth (be generous!)

pinch of salt and pepper

Prep time: 0 mins

cook time: 20-30 mins.

First, saute one side of chicken breasts in olive oil (4-5 minutes). Sprinkle the salt and pepper to taste onto uncooked side of chicken. Add rosemary and and continue to saute until nicely browned on both sides, which is about 4-5 minutes on each side. Add the garlic and onions to the pan. Let the onions caramelize a bit and when the bottom of the pan gets brown pour in the chicken broth and scrape up the browned bits. That will be the sauce and I like it so I use more broth. I let it simmer for 10-15 more minutes but it is not necessary especially if you use less broth.

Eat with plenty of steamed veggies and brown rice. Or, you could use the South Beach Diet's Mashed Cauliflower.

1 head of cauliflower

1 TBSP fat-free half & half *

1 TBSP I can't believe it's not Butter or light butter *

Salt and pepper to taste

This recipe takes me more prep time and I only have a small blender. Chop cauliflower, and then boil until tender. Drain well. Use a food processer or blender to mash cauliflower. I tend to like it chunky. Add half and half, butter and salt and pepper to taste.

* The recipe book says "1 ounce" for these ingredients, but I have tried to find a conversion to tsp/tbsp but can't find one so I estimate.