Hi Roni -- if you feel like you've gotten a few questions from Kathleen lately, well that's because you have. ha! Lots of questions lately -- I'm in the Weight Watchers, breastfeeding, working out ZONE right now...if only my 4-month-old could be in the sleeping thru the night zone...oh well...
so here's a question about temptation and baked goods. I love your GLB recipes -- [had Southwestern Turkey Burgers for dinner tonight!] I especially love the recipes for sweet treats. Cookies, bites, etc. my husband is not a 'dessert guy' - my 2 yr old has well, a 2 year old's appetite. this is going to sound funny but I'm almost afraid to make GLB cookies/bites/muffins for fear that I will eat them all. I'm wondering if you have any tips -- thinking maybe I should half the recipes or just freeze a bunch? baked good temptation....any experiences/tips/tricks welcome!
Hi Kathleen,
So so SO sorry for my late response. You're 4 month old is now, what? 18 months?!? Geesh.. I'm behind. Anyway, it's funny that you ask this question because I go through stages were I don't want to bake/experiment for the same exact reason! Thankfully my 2 year old is now a 4 year old so he helps a bit but my hubby, like yours is just not a baked goods guy unless it comes in a prepackaged individually sealed bag. It's sad. lol
The one thing about my ideas, especially the baked/treat ideas, is that they are generally low in portions because I am only baking for myself. I'll be honest I haven't tried freezing everything I've baked. Normally what I do is give things away. My more traditional cookie ideas like, Chocolate Cookie Crisps, Whole Wheat Dried Fruit and Walnut Oatmeal Cookies, and Chocolate Oatmeal Walnut Cookies can easily be made for others without thier knowledge of them being "lighter".
One thing I have froze with great success was my Honey Almond Bites but there's one problem. I liked them so much I tried one frozen and then all bets were off. 😉
I do have some treat ideas that involve won ton wrappers that you can specifically make only what you want to eat (always a safe bet) like Chocolate Peanut Butter Sticks, Chocolate Ricotta Rolls, and the Black and Blue Dessert Cups. I've also been known to make a whole batch of Quick Chocolate Kettle Corn just for myself when I want something sweet. Although that's probably not recommended.
I hope that helps a little and again, please accept my apologese for the late response.
Since I haven't been too helpful let's ask if anyone else has ideas for keeping the baked goods in check. Anyone have any tips?
Robin
Great advice Roni freezing stuff in dough form. Anything easily zapped in the mico is not safe 🙂
I'm a terrible binge eater with any sort carb, or sweet. I can't have things like choclate chips or nuts in the house. Even diet product like baked chips, ww meals, rice cakes, lite ice cream,etc.
Something that I'm stating to do is buy a few Briazl nuts in the shell for recipes. Lots of work and not very tasty untoasted. For recipes needing choclate chips I buy a few mini candy bars at my gas station, either right before I start baking or during and chop them up.
I'm a stay at home mom. Having to run out to my gas staion/mini mart to buying one of something like a fiber one bars,string cheese, frozen push-pop is helping me have a snack or complete a recipe without a bag or a box calling my name all day long.
Renae W.
Oooooh, good! I am excited to hear that the egg muffins freeze well! Another tip to keep from wasting bananas or canned pumpkin-Puree the bananas just before they go bad and freeze in ice cube trays, pop out and store in a freezer bag. It usually takes 4-5 thawed cubes to equal one banana in a recipe. With canned pumpkin, I usually have some left over after I open a can so I freeze the left overs in ice cube trays just the same as bananas. Since I have a hard time finding "tomato paste in a tube" at my store I do the same to what's left after I open a can of tomato paste.
Lesley
I have frozen the egg muffin recipe with success. Just pull out as many as you want and microwave. Just keep an eye on them and make sure you don't overcook. I have also frozen the banana oatmeal cups, and I have made the mini pumpkin loafs into muffins and frozen them as well. Like the others my husband is not big into dessert and if I don't freeze I will eat a whole batch within two days. I love the cookie dough idea Renae. I will have to try it out.
Claudia
I've made the banana oatmeal cups (with chocolate chips) and always freeze most of the batch. Works out (and freezes) perfectly - I went through a phase where I packaged them 3 or 4 to a baggie, grabbed them out of the freezer on my way out the door and they were defrosted (pretty much) by the time I made it to the office. Yum!
Renae W.
You're welcome, Nicole! I have even fully baked Roni's baked banana oatmeal cups and her whole wheat banana muffins and frozen them the same way, only cooked-I am curious if the same technique would work for her mini-egg muffin recipes, too. I set one, or two, out to thaw the night before breakfast or just thaw in the microwave. I have only been on WW three weeks now but I have tons of tips from my pre-WW days that can be adapted.
Nicole P
Great idea Renae- ummm why don't I ever think of things like that- going to do this stat!
Lori
I have been thinking about this lately myself. I want to try some sweet recipes, but don't want to end up eating them all myself. One solution I think I've come up with is to save a few for myself and take the rest to work. There are plenty of people there more than willing to take some delicious baked goods off my hands.
Renae W.
Great question and tips! My tip would be to make a batch of cookie dough of your choice and freeze it unbaked in serving sized balls (place wax paper on cookie sheet, roll dough into balls and freeze until solid) then keep them in a freezer bag in the freezer, labeled with points value. You can bake one or two when the craving strikes. Hope this helps...love ya, Roni!