Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins

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Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins

Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins

Chocolate makes the world go 'round. Well, at least it makes my world go 'round. I savor simple chocolates like a good book I've read a thousand times—slowly, reveling in the familiarity, letting the flavors (and words) linger on my tongue. I've always found something sensual about chocolate. The way warmed chocolate falls off a spoon or the glean and glisten on a pot of melted chocolate make my mouth begin to water. I love the way chocolate pairs with a heady glass of red wine, fashioning a rich ending to a heavy meal.

I'm certain if we gave it a chance, chocolate alone could bring about world peace.

Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins

Chocolate always finds a way to sneak into my day. In the morning, I love a hint of cocoa in my hot cereal. At lunch, I always sneak a sweet treat for dessert, nibbling on bits of chocolate cake or swiping my finger through a tub of chocolate buttercream. In the evening, I grab a few chocolate chips to preempt my inevitable nighttime cravings.

I'm a monster.

Some days I'm certain chocolate runs through my veins.

Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins

Because of my fervent fondness for the cocoa bean, I've been adventurous with my chocolate flavor combinations. Certainly the standard combinations have been done: chocolate and peanut butter, chocolate and raspberry, chocolate and pear. But it's the more unique combinations that bring me greater excitement—chocolate and lemon, chocolate and figs, and chocolate and beets.

Chocolate and pickles, however, is a little too "unique." Let's just say that was never a very good idea.

Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins

These Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins are decadent, addictive muffins that are everything a muffin should be—moist and dense. Imagine a loaf of banana bread in bite-sized form; these are it. The flavors of banana and chocolate blend together easily, but the espresso powder adds a slight twist. Though the espresso flavor is very subtle (in fact, I couldn't find it unless I was really looking), it adds so much flavor depth. The chocolate tones are richer and deeper. The banana flavor is bold and beautiful. Just a hint of something new, creates a different muffin entirely—a muffin you are sure to love.

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Caramel Apple Tart

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Caramel Apple Tart

Caramel Apple Tart

I love caramel apples. In fact, they make the short list of my not-so guilty pleasures. Around autumn, I slowly begin to have a singular focus for those sweet bites of heaven on a stick. Eventually it builds to a climax and I suddenly find myself in the candy aisle buying sweets I never allow myself to buy the rest of the year. Butterfingers, Twix bars, M&Ms, roasted peanuts, Snickers bars, toffee...

I turn into a sugar monster, leaving the store with an extra fifteen thousand calories in tow.

Caramel Apple Tart

Unfortunately for me, I have only successfully made caramel apples once, long ago, before I had a place to share beautiful food with you. Once. Nevertheless, my caramel apple cravings don't cease. Every year I give them another try, if not twice or thrice, hoping this will be the year they turn out. I can gather the apples, freshly picked from trees, and buy copious amounts of sugar and chocolate, but I can never seem to get the caramel to hug the apples. Instead, it sinks to the bottom of the apples forming sweet, mournful puddles.

The recipe doesn't seem to matter, nor does the intensity in which I watch the mercury rise in my candy thermometer. Perhaps I am cursed, never to produce beautiful caramel apples again (though beautiful or not, those sweet apples are promptly devoured anyway).

Caramel Apple Tart Caramel Apple Tart Caramel Apple Tart

So this year, after my caramel apples failed to turn out yet again (curse you, caramel apple gods!), I turned to new ideas and recipes to share this flavor combination with you. Perhaps the saving grace to come out of this sad situation is that, if I didn't have such poor luck with caramel apples, these gorgeous tarts may have never been born.

Now that would be truly devastating. The world needs more cinnamon apples drowned in an orange citrus caramel overflowing a sweet, almond shortbread crust. Don't you agree?

Caramel Apple Tart

These Caramel Apple Tarts are a perfect treat served warmed on a cold fall day. Apples are coated in cinnamon and orange zest before being covered in an orange citrus caramel and set in an almond shortbread crust to bake. The hint of orange really lends a greater depth of flavor to these tarts. Though the recipe may appear intimidating in length, the steps are not difficult. I simply went into greater detail than usual to help you along the way.

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Honey Cinnamon Roasted Chickpeas

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Honey Cinnamon Roasted Chickpeas

Honey Cinnamon Roasted Chickpeas

I very rarely pay attention to the nutrition of the recipes I share with you. Occasionally, I'll notice that something I've made has turned out unusually healthy, but it's always an accident (and never quite on purpose). I love butter, sugar, and heavy cream. I don't want to imagine my life (or desserts) without it.

Despite my affinity for decadent desserts, I volunteered to develop a few healthy low-calorie, low-fat recipes for a local magazine. I thought it would be a cinch until I sat down to work out the recipes. It turns out it's a lot harder than I gave it credit for. What I thought would be a simple task became a new challenge, with one important question to answer.

How do you remove the unhealthy ingredients of most decadent desserts and still keep them delicious?

Honey Cinnamon Roasted Chickpeas Honey Cinnamon Roasted Chickpeas

As I've been trial-and-erroring my way through recipes the last week, I realized something important. Maybe it's obvious, but it took me a bit to figure it out. I shouldn't have asked myself how to turn a decadent dessert into a healthy one. Instead, I should have been asking how I could turn a healthy food into a decadent dessert. As it so happens, starting with an already healthy food is half the battle.

Or, in the case of these chickpeas, all of the battle.

Honey Cinnamon Roasted Chickpeas

I've always associated chickpeas with hummus and little else. After a little research, I learned that chickpeas are so much more than just a bowl full of hummus. Roasting chickpeas in the oven turns them into something very similar to a crunchy little nut (but so much healthier!). Since I love all things sweet, I added a little honey and cinnamon to these roasted chickpeas to make an amazing snack I pretty much devoured in one sitting.

Though these little babies didn't make it into the magazine, it certainly wasn't because they weren't delicious or healthy enough. On the contrary, they were too good not to share with you immediately. I hope you make a batch of these for yourself. Finally a snack you can feel good about eating!

Honey Cinnamon Roasted Chickpeas Honey Cinnamon Roasted Chickpeas

These Honey Cinnamon Roasted Chickpeas are simple to make, with minimal ingredients, and taste just like your favorite roasted nuts. Roasting chickpeas turns them from a soft bean to a crunchy wonder. I added honey and cinnamon to bring a light sweetness and spice to these addictive roasted chickpeas. Fair warning: You might want to double this recipe right away. You can thank me later.

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