Not Bad Low Fat Chocolate Brownies

This past weekend I tried my first recipe I found via pinterest  – Low Fat Chocolate Brownies

 

Ingredients

These brownies turned out quite moist considering they aren’t made with any oil or eggs. They are a very healthy brownie made with zucchini, bananas and applesauce and are packed with a whole bunch of vitamins and minerals.   They turned out kind of like chocolate banana bread.  I would definitely make them again with the slight revisions I made. When possible I try to cut back on sugar and we don’t really notice it. I used only half the sugar amount. I also omitted the walnuts as I wanted Hugo to be able to eat them and I do not feel comfortable giving him any form of nuts yet.

Hugo enjoyed them so much that he was trying to sneak another one while I was trying to take these pictures ...

 

The recipe is from SparkRecipes - Low Fat Zucchini Brownies, if you wish to give it a try.

Number of Servings: 24

 

Ingredients

1/2 cup applesauce [I used my homemade applesauce]
2 small or medium bananas mashed
1 1/2 cup sugar [I only used half this amount]
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups finely shredded zucchini [I used a medium sized zucchini - probably 7 inches long]
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup walnut pieces

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

 

Grease and flour an 9x13 inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, mix together the mashed bananas, baking soda, applesauce, and sugar. Add vanilla.

 

In a separate bowl mix cocoa, salt, and flour together. Once done add to above mixture. Add walnuts and mix together. Spread evenly into a prepared pan. Bake for about 25 minutes until brownies spring back when gently touched.

 

Yesterday was my birthday, so this past weekend we had dinner with my in-laws and sister in-law to celebrate me getting another year older. My mother in-law brought a delicious homemade apple pie for dessert {she makes wonderful pies}. We also had the low fat brownies for dessert and everyone seemed to enjoy them. A couple other people also stopped by our place this weekend for a visit and they too said they were good.

If you try this recipe please leave a comment on how they turned out for you.

 

Hugo is 15 Months

Yesterday Hugo turned 15 months!! Where is time going? He seems to just be growing and teething like crazy. This was him last year when he was 3 months – January 27, 2012.

 

My mother in-law gave me this outfit which belonged to Byron when he was a baby (he’s the baby in the middle). When I put Hugo in the outfit I thought it was going to be big, but it almost didn’t fit him. Photo was taken January 28, 2012 - exactly a year ago today.

 

Our little baby is no longer a baby ... he’s a little boy {tear}. Last Thursday he had his 15 month doctor’s appointment and got his required vaccine and he was such a big boy & didn’t even cry.

Poor guy though has not had a break with his teeth, they just seem to be coming in non-stop one after the other, and he is drooling like crazy and keeps putting his fingers in his mouth. I think he has two teeth left to come in (which are coming in right now) and then it’s just his 2^nd molars (aka 2 year molars) and his mouth will be filled with teeth.

 

For the past week or so Hugo has started to take some steps on his own ... 2 or 3 not much, but it’s a start and more than he had ever done before. When I was away for a brief part of the morning Friday, he took about 10 steps on his own and I missed it {figures}. Luckily Byron recorded it on his phone for me to see. Over this past weekend he has continued to take a couple more steps. Today he started to let go and take a few steps without me motivating him to come to me. He walked from his closet to his dresser all on his own while I was putting away his laundry. He is so close!!  Maybe by my Birthday he will be walking on his own ... we will see. I know when he is ready he will do it.

 

Over the weekend we finally found him his own couch. I tried to get him one for Christmas, but when I was at Wal-Mart and Toys R Us they were sold out. He loves it ...



 

Hugo, my 15 month old, watching some Baby Einstein like a big boy.

 

And apparently so does Roxy ....

Shortly after she got comfortable, Hugo decided he didn't want to share his couch with her. This is not like him, he shares everything with her especially his Cheerios, but not his couch I guess. He looked at her, pointed his tiny little index figure to her mat and told her "GO" ... and off she went to her own couch. That's one of his new things he started doing.

When I was photographing my Low Fat Brownies that I made on the weekend (recipe to be posted soon), Hugo was trying very hard to get to them as he really enjoyed them.

He pulled the chair to the side

 

  

It’s crazy how small he was a year ago and how fast the time has gone by. It’s amazing how much he has learnt in a year and how quickly he catches on. This morning he climbed up on the back part of his couch so he could look into his playpen from the top. I would have taken a picture, but I had my hands full grabbing him before he fell off and hurt himself. I think we are definitely looking at a future trouble maker!

4/52 - Small Hands, Blueberries & Brownies.

This week Hugo thoroughly enjoyed his blueberries {he's like Dad that way}. His hands are so small and chubby ...

Earlier today I was snapping some photos of the healthy brownies I made today {recipe to be posted this week I hope}. Hugo decided he would try to figure out how he was going to reach the plate of healthy brownies to snatch another one. He moved the chair to the side on his own to get it out of his way & then put it back when he realised that way would not work. Here he is thinking of another route to take...

I can't believe Hugo will be 15 months old tomorrow!

2012 Christmas Recap

 

I can't believe Christmas was a month ago! It’s a little late, but better late than never. Here’s a recap of Christmas 2012.

 

For a couple years now, we spend Christmas Eve – the 24^thof December with my family & Christmas Day – December 25^th with Byron’s family. As of last year things changed slightly. Byron, Hugo, Roxy & I started spending Christmas morning at home & then we head to my in-laws once we are done. 

This year for Christmas Eve we headed down to the City to spend it with my family. The tradition since I was little is a family dinner with all my aunts, uncles & cousins, followed by opening presents.

Here's a look at our Christmas Eve.

 

 

Just before we headed down to the city.

 

Before dinner, we quickly took a couple photos while Hugo was still in a good mood.

 

 

 

Hugo with his Madrinha, saying cheese

 

 

 

 

Hugo was fascinated with my Grandma's bow on her shirt. He still makes strange when he hasn't seen someone in a while, but he was ok with my grandma, which was nice to see.

 

 

 I asked my cousin to take a quick picture of our little family.

 

After the  quick pictures, dinner was ready. The little girls (who are 10 & 11) did a great job folding the napkins into Elf Hats. We had to get Hugo to model it for us.

 

 

After dinner, we were off to open gifts. Usually the gift opening starts with the youngest person present followed by the next youngest, etc., etc., until everyone has opened all their gifts. This usually takes a couple hours.

  

 

At around 12:00 a.m. we started to pack up everything. Hugo received lots of wonderful gifts. We are so lucky to have such wonderful people in our lives.

 

  

Hugo right before we headed home ...  wide awake at around 12:15 a.m.

 

  

We headed home and luckily this year only encountered a little bit of snow on the drive home. This  made for a decent drive home. When we got home we must have just missed Santa. 

 

 

Photo taken shortly after we were home - at around 3:00 a.m.

 

 

 Santa Left a Waggon filled with gifts for Hugo!!

Once we went to bed, Christmas morning came quick, as Hugo was awake early.



 

Hugo was extremely curious about all the gifts. Starting with the photo “1” moving to the right you can see the direction he took. He first checked out all the presents Santa had left for him. Then he went and checked out the big bone & gift Santa left for Roxy (Roxy spent the night at my in-laws). He then was trying to decide what gift to open first. He decided to open the gift bag first & made sure he read the tag first to ensure it was his gift I guess. He quickly got the hang of opening the gifts, but after a couple he had had enough and just wanted to play with the gifts he had opened.  

While Hugo was checking out all his gifts before he started to open them, I popped my cinnamon buns into the oven and baked them. That’s one Christmas tradition that I hope to carry on for many years to come. A couple years back we use to try and grab a Tim Horton’s coffee before we headed to my in-laws for Christmas day. There was one problem with this though. On Christmas day most Timmies are closed & often only 1 Timmies location was opened in the city. The location would change each year, which made it difficult to find the one that was opened and once we would find it, it was always extremely busy. We would end up waiting for an hour or longer to grab our coffees {insert sad face}. After doing this for 2 years I think we gave up on it and started a new tradition.  For the past 4 or 5 years I can’t remember now, I always bake fresh from scratch cinnamon buns on Christmas morning complete with cream cheese icing. It is the only time of the year I make them as they are supper unhealthy & pack filled with calories. They are a Christmas treat for us & any guests that are around. Byron & a couple of my cousins who have had cinnabon cinnamon buns have said that my cinnamon buns are better {makes me ecstatic}.

 



 

Once Hugo was done his nap we headed to my in-laws. This year I brought a Cesar salad & dessert ... cinnamon buns.

Once we got to my in-laws we opened gifts & checked out what was in our stockings. Hugo showing off his taai taai & his chocolate letter. My father in-law is Dutch so we always have Dutch treats in our stockings at Oma & Opa’s house.
 

 



 

 

 

I thought Hugo's facial expression was funny.

 

 

 

Roxy being a Good Girl

 

Hugo being silly while opening his gifts

 

Giving Grandma (aka Oma) a high five

 

 

Hugo saying Hi & checking on Oma in the Kitchen.

 

Hugo & Roxy checking his Elmo from his Aunt

 

Hugo enjoying some of Mommy's Caesar salad

 

Hugo testing out his new waggon.

 

Over the holidays we also had dinner at my parents & opened some more gifts.

Hugo sitting at the table ... he looks so small

 

 

 

 

Testing out his new chair.

 

Checking out all the colours on Tia's Whirly Pop

 

Being Crazy ... with a mouth full of teeth.

 

 

And that was our Christmas 2012!!.

 

 

 

Trying to Warm up On a Cold Winter Day.

Well the weather outside is not only frightful it is REALLY COLD.  I just checked the weather network and the temperature is -28^o C with the wind-chill.  We have had colder days in the past, but I think this is the coldest it’s been this winter. Poor Roxy came in from outside with her one back paw up in the air = instant indicator that it is extremely cold out.

We cannot really complain about this winter ... really.  To date the temperatures have been hovering just below zero and we have not really had to deal with wind chills or significant snowfalls.  At the end of the winter season last year, we bought a new snow blower.  I think Byron has used it 3 times so far this winter. Two of the times he used it, it was just a light dusting and he could have shovelled the driveway, but he was anxious to try out the new toy to make sure it worked. It works wonderfully. He was done really quickly compared to when he use to use the MacGyver blower {this is a story for another day}.

Back to the cold temperatures we are encountering today, here’s a photo we snapped of Roxy trying to warm up and we had to share it. Within seconds of this blue blanket making its appearance, Roxy is on it trying to make herself comfortable or like in the picture bellow, warming up.

It's COLD ...

 

On really cold days like today it is always nice to have warm thoughts. When I was putting away some of Hugo’s pictures in his album I came across the following photo from our family pool party this past summer. The temperature that day was probably + 28^o C .

 

Hugo’s 1^st time in a pool & he loved it!!

 

Then I came across the following picture that one of my cousin’s posted on facebook of my cupcake I made for the pool party {I’ll have to do a post about these fun Pool Party/ Beach cupcakes in the near future}.

Teddy Bear Pool Party Cupcake - Photo Taken By My Cousin



The temperature outside doesn’t seem so bad now. I guess it could always be - 48^o C. You always have to look on the bright side!!

 

 

3/52 - Trains, Trains & More Trains

A little bit of play time, before story time & then it's bedtime. I figured this would be a good time to snap some pics of Hugo as he played.

Hugo received a couple wooden trains for Christmas this year and he loves them all. We ended up returning one that he received from Masterminds only because he didn't need three stacking block trains and we had a gift receipt for it. We added a bit of his Christmas money and bought him a switchback racetrack when we returned the train {he had played with a similar one at a birthday party we went to & he really like it}. The nice thing about this toy is that it doesn't need batteries {insert jumping for joy}.

Hugo already had two trains that Oma & Opa brought back for him from Prince Edward Island. One spells out his name. I have it in his room, and the following one which he plays with a lot.  I believe they bought the following one at the Toy Factory in New Glasgow, PEI, Canada. (You can check out what they have to offer).

They had it engraved on the side and bottom (such a nice personalised touch).

Hugo really likes his stacking block trains that he received for Christmas . He received the one he is playing with below made by Melissa & Doug. It is really good for colour recognition and it allows him to be creative with how he assembles each piece -- great workout for the mind.

 

He also likes playing with this other one he received at Christmas. It's made by Imaginarium. It's also very colourful. The really nice part about this train -- is the poles on which the pieces sit are not stiffly glued on, instead they are loosely attached with a rope. Should a child trip and fall face down into an empty pole, this construction means the pole will flex.

Well there's three brief reviews on his 3 trains. He loves playing with all of them, and I would recommend them all if you are searching for something to get a toddler ... boy or girl!

Earlier this week I snapped this pic of Hugo sitting with his legs crossed (his new thing), playing with his toys {please excuse his startled look ... I guess he wasn't expecting Momarazzi to start snapping}. His new switchback racetrack is in the bottom left part of the photo.

 

Playing with his Train