Gingerbread Whoopie Pies – So Wrong, and Yet So Right

Admittedly, the witch joke at the beginning of the video
may have been a little graphic, but that’s what I always think of when I hear the
legend of how these cookies supposedly got their name. As the story goes, when
these sweet treats first made their appearance, people that tasted them were so
taken by the sheer awesomeness, that they went nuts and started running around
shouting, “Whoopie!! Whoopie!!” 


Sure they did. This seems very exaggerated, but no matter
how they got the “whoopie” part, at least the rest of the name is not accurate
either. That’s right, not only is this cookie not a pie, this pie isn’t even a
cookie…it’s really a little cake. Confused? Me too, and I just wrote that.

Anyway, despite the dubious name, and the other dubious
name, at least the gingerbread part is accurate. Although, now that I think
about it, it’s not really a ”bread”…okay, this has to stop. With holiday cookie
exchanges in full swing, the only thing I can say with certainty is that these
whatever-they-are’s were very delicious, fun to make, and I hope you give them
a try soon. Enjoy!


Ingredients for 9 to 12 finished Gingerbread Whoopie Pies
(depending on the size!)
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (10 ounces by weight)
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 rounded teaspoons ground ginger (3 if you like it spicy)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup dark molasses
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup boiling water
Bake at 350ºF or about 12 minutes
For the filling (makes extra!):
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, room temperature
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
2 tsp cream or milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
*you can adjust texture by adding more powdered sugar or
milk

Quinoa Chickpea and Avocado Salad

Garbanzos, avocado, quinoa, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, lime juice and cilantro – this flavorful vegetarian salad is loaded with protein, fiber and healthy fats. Chickpeas (garbanzo beans) are my new favorite legume. I only recently started liking them in my salads, but now I can’t get enough. Using dried garbanzos taste better than canned, but for speed and convenience, canned is perfectly fine here. This is also vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free and under 250 calories.

I don’t know about you, but I’m counting the days until summer (54
days to go!!) Living near the ocean, nothing makes me happier than
having my feet in the sand with a good book or magazine. But that also
means bathing suit shopping (ugh!) and exposing a lot more skin than I did all winter. My
solution – eat more salads (and of course exercise)!

This salad is perfect for lunch, you can make it ahead, leaving the cucumbers and avocado out, and add the just before your ready to serve.

Quinoa Chickpea and Avocado Salad
gordon-ramsay-recipe.com
Servings: 4 • Size: 1 1/4 cups  • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 6 pts
Calories: 248 • Fat: 7 g • Carb: 41 g • Fiber: 8 g • Protein: 9 g • Sugar: 1 g
Sodium: 403 mg (without salt)

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup quartered grape tomatoes
  • 15 oz can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup cooked quinoa
  • 2 tbsp red onion, minced
  • 2 tbsp cilantro, minced
  • 1 1/2 limes, juice of
  • kosher salt and fresh pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup diced cucumber
  • 4 oz diced avocado (1 medium hass)

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients except for avocado and cucumber, season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Just before serving, add cucumber and avocado.

Makes 5 cups.

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