Living La Vida Holoka


Chocolate Mini Egg Easter Blondies

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Sweeten up buttery blondies with chocolate mini egg candies, white chocolate chips, and rainbow sprinkles to make them a fun and colorful Easter treat!

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So…Easter’s pretty much canceled this year.  Right?  Not gonna lie – I’ve always wanted to spend a quiet holiday at home – just the two of us – so a year without celebrations isn’t such a disappointment to me.  Sure, I miss my family, but we’ve been doing Facetime and I call and text my parents regularly.  Once we get out of isolation, I know we’ll end up having a big celebration anyway to catch up on everything we’ve missed! 

In the meantime, I’ve prepared us for an Easter feast of boneless, sliced ham for two and I was able to get fresh vegetables through my Hungryroot delivery.  As for dessert, I’ve got six more of these Chocolate Mini Egg Easter Blondies in the freezer. 

Chocolate Mini Egg Easter Blondies

 
I made my first batch of these blondies a few weeks ago and wasn’t entirely pleased with how they turned out.  They were a lot thicker and I didn’t have all of the ingredients I would have liked to use.  They weren’t bad.  In fact, we finished them off pretty quickly!  They just weren’t what I envisioned them to be. 

So I placed a Target order for ingredients (thank goodness for delivery and delivery drivers right now) and was able to get everything I needed to remake this recipe.  This time around, they came out the way I wanted them to – full of milk chocolate mini eggs, white chocolate chips, and sprinkles in a buttery, chewy, golden bar!

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Chocolate Mini Egg Easter Blondies

Chocolate Mini Egg Easter Blondies

Ingredients

  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 cup butter, melted
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 cup milk chocolate mini eggs
  • 1/3 cup white chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup springtime rainbow sprinkles mix

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9"x13" pan.
  2. In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, sugars, butter, and vanilla together until smooth.
  3. Slowly incorporate the flour and mix in the salt and baking powder.
  4. Once combined, fold in the chocolate mini eggs, chocolate chips, and rainbow sprinkles.
  5. Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  6. Allow blondies to cool. Then, cut into bars.

Notes

If desired, press more mini eggs, chocolate chips, and sprinkles into the top of the blondies before cutting them and while they're still warm.

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These Easter blondies are a tasty, colorful treat that kids can help make!  Let them help add the ingredients to the bowl and stir.  Then, pour everything into a baking pan and bake!  Easter might feel a bit different this year, but you can still make it feel special with some homemade Easter blondies!

Swap in these fun mix-ins!

  • Milk chocolate chips
  • Dark chocolate mini eggs
  • Butterscotch baking chips
  • Chopped pecans
  • Easter M&M’s
  • Chocolate bunnies, chopped
  • Chocolate peanut butter eggs, chopped


Did you make these Chocolate Mini Egg Easter Blondies? Share your pics on Instagram using the hashtag #livinglavidaeats. Don’t forget to tag me @lavidaholoka!

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Chocolate Strawberry Dessert Hummus

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Craving something chocolaty and sweet? Dip into this healthy and delicious Chocolate Strawberry Dessert Hummus to satisfy your cravings!

This post may contain affiliate links.  Making a purchase through one of these links helps support this blog.


January is kind of cruel joke when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle.  We’re just getting over celebrating the holiday season in the most gluttonous way.  Then, we get a month to straighten ourselves out before we’re tempted all over again by Valentine’s Day (chocolate), St. Patrick’s Day (heavy food and beer), Mardi Gras (cake and booze), and Easter (candy, candy, and more candy)! 

My chocolate cravings have already started and – being a low sugar kind of gal – I haven’t given myself allowance to slip up.  Sweets always seem like a good idea at the time for me.  Then, after a few pieces of candy or chocolate, I begin to feel the regret set in.  Usually in the form of a headache or stomachache.  It’s just better if I avoid it altogether.

But those nagging cravings for something chocolately haven’t left me alone.  Then, I remembered wanting to try making another dessert hummus.  I made an amazing pumpkin pie hummus during the fall that satisfied my craving for a slice of pie (it tasted exactly like pumpkin pie filling!).  So with Valentine’s Day coming up, I decided to make a chocolate strawberry hummus.

Like chocolate-covered strawberries without the sugar!

 
Chocolate-covered strawberries are one of my favorite desserts!  On Valentine’s Day, I’ll usually make some or head to the bakery to buy a couple, plus a mini cake for us to split.  Since the holiday is still about a week away, this hummus has definitely hit the spot until then! 

This dessert hummus is full of strawberry flavor and just the right amount of chocolate!  Honestly, you’ll forget that you’re eating hummus while you dip into it!  The best part is that there’s no sugar in it.  Just a splash of honey and some stevia! 

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Chocolate Strawberry Dessert Hummus

Chocolate Strawberry Dessert Hummus

Ingredients

  • 1 - 15 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 4 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 tbsp. honey
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups strawberries, sliced
  • 1 1/2 tsp. stevia
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. In a food processor, or blender, pulse the chickpeas, cocoa powder, honey, and vanilla extract.
  2. Add the strawberries, stevia, cinnamon, and salt. Blend until incorporated and smooth.
  3. Spoon hummus into a bowl and serve with fruit and cinnamon tortilla chips.
  4. Store hummus in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.

Notes

To make cinnamon tortilla chips: Cut tortillas into triangles. Spray with cooking spray and toss with cinnamon and sugar (I use Flavor God's Buttery Cinnamon Roll). Cook in an air fryer for 8 minutes at 400 degrees, shaking the basket halfway through cooking.

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Hummus is one of my favorite snacks and I’ve become a big fan of dessert hummus (and, trust me, I was skeptical at first). If you’re looking for a healthy snack to satisfy your craving for something chocolately and sweet, give this recipe a try!

I served it with a mix of berries and some cinnamon tortilla chips I made in the air fryer (check the recipe notes to make your own).  It’s pretty addictive stuff!  Serve it as a healthy dessert on Valentine’s Day or a tasty snack any time you’re craving something sweet! 


Did you make this Chocolate Strawberry Dessert Hummus? Share your pics on Instagram using the hashtag #livinglavidaeats. Don’t forget to tag me @lavidaholoka!

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Mini Reindeer Brownie Bites

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Turn a box of brownies into adorable red-nosed reindeer with this Mini Reindeer Brownie Bites recipe! Chocolate frosting, candy eyes, cinnamon drops, and pretzels transform brownies into the cutest Christmas treats!

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My husband can take a box of brownies and turn them into the most magical brownies you’ve ever tasted in your life (no, not like those brownies)!  They’ve got a perfect outer edge and a deliciously chewy inside!  And somehow, he manages to be consistent every single time!  So I’ve basically left brownie duty to the master.  That was until about a week ago when I finally learned some of his tricks!

I had a craving for brownies, but I wanted to make them festive for the holidays (and to get me in the mood to start my long list of holiday baking).  Thankfully, the brownie master just happened to be home from work the day I made these!

When I asked my husband how he makes his perfect brownies, he told me to bake them for the longest time on the box.  Basically, bake the brownies for the longest recommended time for the type of pan you’re using. 

Make sense?  No? 

Say, you’re using a standard, non-stick brownie pan and the box of brownies says to bake them at 325º for 30-35 minutes.  Bake the brownies for the full 35 minutes and don’t open the door while they’re baking!  There’s definitely something to that!  Because after 35 minutes in the oven, the brownies had a perfect crust on the top and chewy bottoms!  It was hard not to eat any before decorating them!


But instead of using a regular brownie pan, I made these brownies in a mini muffin pan to create small, brownie bites.  I used the same time and temperature as a regular brownie pan.  Then, I turned them into reindeer with chocolate frosting, candy eyes and cinnamon drops to create the face and broken pretzels for antlers.  So stinkin’ cute!  And my husband said they were really good, too!

Moms, if your little ones want to get in on the baking action, these are an easy Christmas treat they can help you make!  Just frost the brownie bites with chocolate frosting.  Then, let the kids decorate them with the candy eyes and cinnamon drops.  They might need a little help pushing in the pretzel antlers, but they’ll love turning brownies into reindeer!

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Mini Reindeer Brownie Bites

Mini Reindeer Brownie Bites

Ingredients

  • Non-stick cooking spray
  • 1 box brownie mix
  • Chocolate frosting
  • Candy eyes
  • Red cinnamon drops
  • Pretzels

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a mini muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. Prepare brownie mix according to package. Spoon the brownie batter into the mini muffin pan, filling the pan almost to the top.
  3. Bake the brownies for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the brownies.
  4. Allow the brownies to cool completely. Then, carefully remove them from the pan. You might have to use a knife to loosen the sides and lift the bottom, but they should come out easily after that.
  5. Frost the top of the brownies. Then, add two candy eyes and a red cinnamon drop to make a face.
  6. Break up a pretzel and stick two pieces into the brownie to create antlers.
  7. Enjoy with a big glass of milk or eggnog!
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I’m really only a baker around the holidays.  The rest of the year….not so much.  That’s why I usually stick to box mixes and premade cookie dough.  But if you have a favorite homemade brownie mix recipe, I’m sure it would make these brownie bites taste even better than they already do! 

These reindeer brownies would be adorable for a class party or make an easy treat to enjoy during a holiday movie marathon!  Add them to your holiday cookie trays or leave a couple out for Santa! Who could possibly resist an adorable red-nosed reindeer?  Especially when it’s made out of brownies! 


Did you make these Mini Reindeer Brownie Bites? Share it on social media using the hashtag #livinglavidaeats. Don’t forget to tag me @lavidaholoka!  Merry Christmas! 

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If you like this holiday recipe, you might enjoy these as well:

Gooey Halloween Candy Cookie Bars

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Have leftover Halloween candy from trick-or-treating?  Chop it up and turn it into these Gooey Halloween Candy Cookie Bars that are oozing with chocolate, caramel, nougat, and nuts!

This post may contain affiliate links.  Making a purchase through one of these links helps support this blog.


Happy Halloween!  You can’t deny that there’s a sense of playfulness in the air today!  It’s going to be a fun day of Halloween parades, kids in costumes, and of course, candy!  Lots and lots of candy!  Man, I miss the days of coming home from school, scarfing down dinner, and heading out to trick-or-treat with my friends.

I remember ditching my cute pumpkin pal for a pillowcase.  Some years, we’d even have to go home and dump out the candy we got to head out into the neighborhood again!  We always knew which houses gave out full-size candy bars, extra handfuls of candy, money, and we even got some comic books in our bags! We had candy for days (more like enough to last until next Halloween) tucked away in large bowls on the top of the fridge!


These days, it seems like trunk-or-treat and organized Halloween events have taken over trick-or-treating.  We probably get less than handful of trick-or-treaters each year.  Instead of stocking up on bulk bags of candy, I opt for one assorted bag of mini chocolate bars.  And, most of the time, we end up with leftovers!

I try to stay away from sweets as much as possible, but I ended up buying a bag of assorted chocolate candy this year with Snickers and Twix bars in it this year.  Big mistake!  Those are two of my favorite chocolate candies!

A tasty way to use up leftover Halloween candy!

 
Whether you have leftover candy or you’re stealing it from your kids (don’t deny it – you know you do it!), I figured out a sweet way to use some of it up!  Gooey Halloween Candy Cookie Bars!  I basically tweaked the recipe for my Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie, removed the chocolate chips and pecans, and added chopped Halloween candies, and ditched the cast iron skillet for a 9″ x 9″ baking pan.

The result is a thick, cookie-like bar.  As the bars bake, the chopped up candies melt down into it.  You get a gooey mixture of chocolate, caramel, nougat, and nuts in each delicious bar!  If you’re like me and kind of bummed that spooky season is coming to an end, this is a delicious way to keep it going a little longer!

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Gooey Halloween Candy Cookie Bars

Gooey Halloween Candy Cookie Bars

Ingredients

  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 4 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 cups mini Halloween candy bars, chopped

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350º. Grease a 9" x 9" pan with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. In a mixing bowl, add softened butter and sugars. Beat until fluffy.
  3. Add the eggs and vanilla to the sugar mixture and beat until combined.
  4. In a medium bowl, add flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
  5. Gradually beat in dry ingredients to wet ingredients.
  6. Fold in chopped Halloween candy bars.
  7. Spoon cookie dough into the bottom of the prepared pan and evenly spread it out.
  8. Bake for 45 minutes or until edges of the cookie are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
  9. Optional: while the cookie bars are warm, press more chopped Halloween candy into the top of the cookie bars.
  10. Allow bars to cool completely before cutting and serving.
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What a sweet way to end spooky season!  Seriously.  These have been so good with a tall glass of milk at night.  I need someone to come and take these away from me!  Happy Halloween, indeed!

Did you make these Gooey Halloween Candy Cookie Bars with your leftover Halloween candy? Make sure to share your pics on Instagram using the hashtag #livinglavidaeats. Don’t forget to tag me @lavidaholoka!

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