Chocolate Blueberry Cake with Blueberry Sauce

Jeff loves blueberries. They're not my favorite fruit, but I try to make a blueberry something for him every once in a while. I do, however, really like chocolate, so we both really enjoyed this one!

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 cup sugar
6 tbsp cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup water
1 cup fresh blueberries, divided, plus extra blueberries to use as a garnish
1 egg
1 1/2 cups frozen light whipped dessert topping, thawed and divided
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350. Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking, soda, and salt in a bowl.
2. In a blender, combine water, 1/2 cup blueberries, and egg. Blend until smooth. Add gradually to flour mixture and mix until combined. Pour into a greased 8x8 baking pan.
3. Bake 30 minutes, or until a toothpick put in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
4. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine 1/2 cup thawed dessert topping and chocolate chips. Cook in the microwave on 50% power for 1 minut. Stir until smooth. Let stand for 5 minutes, then pour over the cooled cake.
5. To make the blueberry sauce, put 1/2 cup blueberries and 1/2 cup thawed dessert topping in a blender and blend until smooth.
6. Serve cake topped with extra blueberries and blueberry sauce.

(dry ingredients)

(wet ingredients)

(ready for the oven!)

(blueberry sauce)

(mmm, chocolate ganache!)

Ta-da!

Enjoy!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Lactation Cookies (Husband-Friendly!)

When you're breastfeeding or pumping milk for a baby, at some point you're probably going to have some worries about your milk production and whether your body is making enough. There are lots of solutions... fenugreek supplements, drinking extra water, etc... but my favorite by far is making these cookies! The oats, flax seed, and brewer's yeast are the perfect concoction for milk production support, and they taste delicious! And don't worry... it's perfectly okay for husbands and friends and family to eat them too.

These are perfect for taking to a mom who has just had a new baby (or a mom who had a baby a few months ago and could use a little surprise from a friend!), or if you're pregnant you could make a bunch to put in the freezer for after the baby arrives (I definitely plan on doing that next time around!).

Recipe adapted from here.

Makes a LOT of cookies, like 4-6 dozen depending on how small you make 'em (but you can freeze some and they freeze/thaw really well!).

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
3 tbsp water
2 tbsp ground flax seed
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups old-fashioned oats
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 tbsp brewer's yeast powder

Directions:
1. Mix flaxseed meal and water and let sit for 3-5 minutes.
2. Beat butter and sugars until smooth. Add eggs and mix well.
3. Add flaxseed/water mixture and vanilla. Beat well.
4. Whisk together flour, brewer's yeast, baking soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients to butter/sugar mixture gradually and mix until combined.
5. Stir in oats and chocolate chips.
6. Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto baking sheet (lightly greased, or use parchment paper or a Silpat).
7. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

Variations:
This recipe is super adaptable... I've tried all of the following with excellent results:
(1) Substitute white whole wheat flour for 1 cup of the flour.
(2) Substitute 1 cup of apple cinnamon instant oatmeal for 1 cup of the oats, skip the chocolate, and add a little extra cinnamon.
(3) Add in a cup of coconut flakes.

Ta-da!

Enjoy!