Healthy Cooking Alternatives

Recently, while trying to eat healthier and cleaner, I have discovered some cooking tips that make those desserts we all crave every once in a while less fattening and a little healthier to indulge in.  Now I am not advocating baking and eating these every day but when its seasonal or you just want to have something tasty here are two tips I have found that satisfy my sweet tooth but aren't quite as detrimental to my health.

Both alternatives are for when baking brownies, cakes, and special breads.

• When baking any of these three desserts you can substitute ALL the ingredients for canned pumpkin.  I know its crazy but its true!  All you do is dump the canned pumpkin and store bought mix into a bowl, stir, and bake.  Now some warnings: the texture is a tad different sometimes but it still tastes great! 
• I recently have used this method with chocolate cake, red velvet cake, and pumpkin bread-- this one turned out the best
• The other alternative for things like brownies is substituting every ingredient but the water for yogurt.  Yes, that's right yogurt.  You simply mix the water, yogurt, and mix in a bowl, stir, and bake.
•  A friend of mine was using this trick and realized she didn't have vanilla yogurt, so she used strawberry yogurt instead.  It was delicious, tasted like chocolate strawberry brownies!  Now, once again, the texture is a little different but they are so moist!

I hope you find these tips useful and that your desserts come out tasting delectable, and just in time for fall cooking! Yay! 

Happy Baking!

Karsyn Penelope


Passport Virgin

So I got my passport in the mail the other day! I'm going out of the country for the first time over Christmas break this year! I can't wait and having the passport in my hand makes it that much more exciting!
I will going to Guatemala for 10 days to help start up a Christian Camp.

Hopefully this will lead to many more
adventures globally!

Here's to Travel!

Karsyn Penelope

Wish It Wasn't Just Round Trip

August 8, 2011

My second trip to Hawaii was an affirmation for my love for the island state.  After my first trip I was just waiting for another opportunity to return. 



View from the Imperial

 

I was travelling with my grandparents, aunt, and 2 cousins.  We stayed in Waikiki at the Imperial Hotel on Lewers Street, a fun and gorgeous street with shops, restaurants, and sights, only a couple blocks away from the International Market Place.  It was about a 5 minute walk down the street to the beach.  We found a little private beach situated between one of the resorts and a sidewalk along the shore with the perfect view of Diamond Head.  It was really fun to stay in the more tourist and city part of the island.  My first trip we stayed on the North Shore and it was beautiful and serene, away from the bustle of Honolulu.



Hanauma Bay

While we were staying in Waikiki we snorkeled in Hanauma Bay, a popular must do while on the island.  We got to see the valley that my grandmother had grown up in while she lived there. We visited the Pearl Harbor Memorial which was a surreal experience.  My cousin and I took surf lessons, which we later we ended up later in the week going out and braving the waves by ourselves- successfully I might add.  We even went and visited The University of Hawaii of Manoa. We went on a dinner cruise including dancing and cultural content.  Also something that you shouldn't pass up is a catamaran ride!
There's never a dull moment on this paradise island  and there is always something to do.  These are just a few simple examples of things that don't take a lot of planning.

I don't know what was in the water there but it had me wanting more.  The moment I got back to Texas, I was planning my next trip.

 

Hang Loose!

 

Karsyn Penelope