Chocolate Lava Cookies

You know those decadent molten lava cakes you see on many restaurant menus?  Yeah, this is the cookie version of that...you are most welcome. : )

As you can tell from my recipes that I post we have a healthy food/cookie diet in our household...I like to call it the "healthookie" diet.  We avoid most dairy and many grains, we don't do processed food, we eat our greens, our vegetables, our fruits, our proteins and our vitamins...but we also eat our cookies.  Oh the cookies.  Some days I wish that I didn't know how to bake, but then I laugh and realize that is absurd...my love language is "cookie" and if I took that away I would not know how to communicate love to others.  Can you imagine?  I would be trying to tell my husband that I loved him and so I would send him to work with a box of carrots...how depressing is that?

Good news...FALL is almost here!  Top season of all times!  We got married in the Fall, and that was a good decision...the marriage part and the Fall part.

Fall means colder weather, and colder weather means you need extra fat on your body to stay warm...here enters the chocolate lava cookie.  Eating cookies is cheaper then a new cold weather wardrobe...you are most welcome again. : )

These pictures don't do these cookies justice.  I waited until they cooled to take the pictures, and by that time the gooey molten centers had solidified.  They still tastes amazing, but they taste divine if you eat them warm.

Chocolate Lava Cookies
From the Guittard chocolate chip bag : )

2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
3 TBS butter
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder

Melt chips and butter over double boiler until smooth but thick.  Set aside to cool.  In mixing bowl beat eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla on high until pale yellow and thick about 2-3 minutes.  Mix in cooled chocolate mix on low speed. Scrape bowl and mix again.  Add flour and baking powder and mix until combined. Scrape bowl and mix again.  Cover dough and refrigerate 15-30 minutes.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Scoop 8 - 2 inch mounds onto parchment lined cookie sheets.  Bake 8-12 minutes until crusty on outside but soft in the center...do not over bake!  Cool a few minutes and eat warm.

Paleo Pumpkin Protein Pancakes

Gosh I love being a mom.  Every time I look at my sweet baby boy my heart swells with pride, he is such a fun baby and he makes me smile so much.  Sometimes we look into the mirror together and I don't even care that I look like a mess and my hair is all frizzy and crazy and I haven't had time to shower yet.  His smile is so big it doesn't matter what mama looks like...not to say that I don't shower and I don't take care of myself because I do, but there are some days that we stay home and play, take long naps, eat, sing songs, and laugh and cry all day.  He's teething and it's crazy how fast the days can go by and somehow it's like we haven't really accomplished that much, but I know we're accomplishing a lot because we are raising a little baby boy and that is a huge accomplishment.

It's funny and kind of annoying that sometimes you're the only thing that can make your baby stop crying and make him happy, but then it's oddly satisfying that you are the only one that can make him stop crying and make him happy.  It's just an awesome bond to have with this kiddo, and I'm looking forward to raising him -  it's going to be a fun adventure.  

Growing up I always knew I wanted to be a mom.  My mom has a picture of me when I was probably about two or three sitting in my little kid rocking chair trying to nurse my little dolls.  I've always had a maternal instinct and just always want to have my own little family.  I never really got too far in my career, mostly because I never wanted one.  Call me old fashioned, but being a stay at home Mom has always been my end goal.  I'm blessed to have an awesome partner in this parenting adventure that makes that possible for me.  He is such an amazing Papa to our little buddy.  

Recently I had a dear friend from college come down and visit.  She said it was her vacation,  and I responded that it was my vacation too.  It was a real treat to have her here - she is such a sweet soul and so good with babies. Anyway she is on a real strict diet,  kind of like the whole 30/ Paleo.  Every morning she woke up and made us an amazing breakfast.  She is into high protein pancakes made with banana and egg, and they are amazing.   Then on another day she tried a new recipe of paleo pumpkin pancakes. Yummy.  Pumpkin, egg and some spices - it is easy and delicious!  It has no dairy or gluten, and it's filling and awesome.  We had leftovers and they were great reheated in the toaster the next day.  They are also portable too if you need take them on the go - you could spread some almond butter on them and make a sandwich with him.  They are really good and these are definitely going into my breakfast rotation from here on out.

Was that enough alliteration in the title of this recipe for you?  I know it isn't Fall yet, but I decided to jump the gun on this one : )

Paleo Pumpkin Protein Pancakes
Makes 8 pancakes, serves 2 adults
Adapted from the Practical Paleo cookbook

4 eggs
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp vanilla
2 TBS maple syrup (optional)
1 1/2 tsp ground flax seed*
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
2 TBS melted coconut oil or butter
Chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Whisk eggs, pumpkin, vanilla and maple syrup together.  Add the spices, salt, baking soda and whisk.  Add melted oil or butter and whisk until smooth and combined.

Grease skillet with coconut oil or butter.  Spoon batter in 1/4 cup increments onto pan, sprinkle with chopped nuts if using) once bubbles form on the surface flip to finish cooking.  Serve with maple syrup and coconut butter or butter : )

*This is a change to the original recipe I posted - I found the ground flax seed made the pancakes thicker, less spongy, and more substantial feeling.