Not So Guilty Pleasure

Everyone likes to indulge at some point.  And what better way than biting into a creamy and fluffy peanut butter pie with an Oreo cookie crust?  How about a totally organic version of this naughty delight!?  I found the original recipe for this pie on a favorite food blog (The Pioneer Woman Cooks) but transformed her confection into an absolutely all natural version, which makes me feel slightly less guilty when going back for that second slice.

Organic Peanut Butter Pie with ‘Oreo’ Cookie Crust

If you really could care less about eating organically, by all means go ahead and make The Pioneer Woman’s delicious version of this pie.  But if you’re interested in avoiding unnecessary fillers, high fructose corn syrup, and hydrogenated oils then try my version –  I promise that it is just as tasty and you can trick yourself into thinking you’re eating something healthy!

• 25 ‘Newman O’s’ cookies, plus a few extra for crumbling on top of the finished pie (I’ve found these in both Food Lion and Harris Teeter)
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup all natural creamy peanut butter (Skippy and JIF both make all natural versions that don’t require stirring or refrigeration)
• 1 8 ounce block cream cheese (organic if you can find it)
• 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 8 ounce carton heavy whipping cream (organic if you can find it)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Place the Newman O’s cookies into a food processor and blend until the cookies are completely and finely crushed.  Transfer to a small mixing bowl.  Melt your butter in a small dish in the microwave (I cook it for about 15 seconds at a time until it’s all melted) then add the butter to the cookies crumbs.  Stir to combine evenly.  Pour your cookie mixture into a pie pan and carefully press and form it into an even crust using your hands, a spatula, or the back of a heavy measuring cup like I did.  Bake for 6 minutes, remove from the oven, and let cool completely.

Whip your whipping cream in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or in a large mixing bowl with your hand mixer until it is thick with stiff peaks (you won’t want runny whipped cream).  Transfer to another bowl and refrigerate.  As an aside, because I don’t sweeten the fresh whipped cream I add 1/4 cup more powdered sugar to the filling than The Pioneer Woman does, to account for the sweetness in the Cool Whip that she uses.

In the same mixer or mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter and cream cheese and mix on high until well combined.  (Tip: spray the inside of your measuring cup with non-stick cooking spray before measuring the peanut butter to avoid any sticky mess.)  Add the powdered sugar and whip again on high until smooth. Fold in the chilled whipped cream with a spatula until evenly combined and smooth and creamy.  Pour the filling into your cooled crust, smooth out the top, and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours, or overnight.  Remove the pie from the fridge about 10 minutes before serving if your fridge is pretty cold like mine is and sprinkle with more crumbled cookies if desired.

If you’re anything like me, you’ll see this recipe and know you have to make it immediately (ok, I’ve already made it three times).  But with my swapped out, all-organic ingredients you can at least have the peace of mind that while you may be indulging on a sinfully rich dessert you can rest assured that it’s all natural.  Enjoy…

Down To Chili and Beans

With yet another Super Bowl coming up, I thought I’d post yet another chili recipe for you all (can you ever have too many?).  This new recipe uses ground turkey instead of beef and includes fresh zucchini to boost the healthy factors even more.  Try this chili for your next get together, be it a championship football game or you next casual dinner party.

Red Chili with Ground Turkey and Zucchini

I love serving soups, stews, and chilis for a crowd since you can keep them warm on the stove all night and it’s easy to make large quantities at once.  Don’t be discouraged by the seemingly long list of ingredients – with just a bit of time at the cutting board, this chili came together very quickly and easily.  This recipe filled my largest pot and made enough chili for about 8-10 hungry people.  NB: Ounces in each canned product size can vary depending on the brand.

• 2 packages lean ground turkey (about 1 pound each)
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 packet taco seasoning (I used low sodium)
• 1/2 package original chili seasoning packet (I used 1/2 packet because that’s what I had leftover in my cupboard, but I’m sure you you throw an entire packet in and it would work just fine!)
• 2 teaspoons dried and oregano
• Ground red pepper to taste (I used plenty of this)
• 1 6 ounce can tomato paste
• 2 14 ounce cans beef broth (I used low sodium)
• 1 16 ounce jar Herdez salsa (I used ‘medium’ heat)
• 2 4 ounce cans chopped green chiles
• 2 16 ounce cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed (1 more can of beans wouldn’t hurt)
• 1 15 ounce can corn kernels, drained and rinsed (I used low sodium)
• 1 15 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes (I used the ‘no salt added’ kind)
• 2 green bell peppers, diced
• 1 large/extra large yellow onion, diced
• 3-4 large cloves garlic
• 3 fresh zucchini, quartered and sliced
• Shredded cheddar cheese for garnish (optional)
• Chopped green onion for garnish (optional)
• Sour cream for garnish (optional)

Place the ground turkey in a large pot with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook over medium high heat until the meat begins to brown, crumbling into small pieces as it cooks.  Add the oregano, taco seasoning, chili seasoning, and red pepper and stir to combine (start out with just a bit of red pepper, you can always add more later!).  Finish cooking the meat completely.  Add the tomato paste and stir to evenly coat the turkey.  Pour in the beef broth and reduce the heat to low, simmering for about 5 minutes.

Add the salsa, chopped green chilis, beans, corn, crushed tomatoes, and diced tomatoes to the pot with the turkey and stir to combine, keeping the heat at low.

In a large skillet or saute pan, cook the diced onion, diced bell pepper, and garlic with 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat until everything is soft, stirring as they cook.  Add the contents of your skillet to the pot with the turkey.  In the same large skillet, add the last tablespoon of olive oil and cook your zucchini slices until softened (but not mushy).  Add your cooked zucchini to the chili pot and mix well, seasoning with more ground red pepper to taste.

I served this chili to a bunch of guys and not only were they fooled by the ground turkey, they actually commented on how they liked the zucchini in the mix!  This may be my new go-to chili recipe, since it’s healthier than most but lacks absolutely no flavor.  Enjoy…