Just J.Faye

Hiking & Other Adventures

Sweet and Salty Snack Mix (Highly Addictive!!)

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I’m sorry.

This snack mix.

Sweet & Salty Snack Mix

It’s sweet. It’s salty. It’s snack mix. It’s sweet and salty snack mix… and it’s ridiculously addicting.

That’s why I need to apologize.

Sweet & Salty Snack Mix

A combination of pretzels, Fritos, Chex, and nuts are coated with a caramely mix of butter, brown sugar, and honey to make this delicious and sinful treat.

My mom’s friend Brenda introduced this sweet and salty snack mix to us. I praise and curse her name every time I have it. So good, but so bad.

I mean, look at it! I die.

Sweet & Salty Snack Mix

The fact that this recipe is absurdly easy to make doesn’t help the situation either. In less than 10 minutes you will have this glorious mix cooling on your table and will have already figured out that the Fritos are your favorite part. But you’ll keep testing to see if maybe, just maybe, the pretzels are your favorite.

(they aren’t)

Sweet & Salty Snack Mix

After this cools immediately pack it up and bring it to a party. You won’t be able to trust yourself alone with it.

I’ve learned this the hard way. Many times.

Sweet and Salty Snack Mix
 
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Warning: This sweet & salty snack mix is highly addictive! It’s also super easy to make and is great for a crowd. It's the perfect snack to bring to your next party!
Ingredients
  • 6 cups Chex cereal
  • 6 cups pretzels
  • 5 cups Fritos
  • 2 ½ cups mixed roasted nuts (or a nut of your choice)
  • 1 cup butter
  • ½ cup honey (or Karo syrup)
  • 2 cups brown sugar
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl combine the Chex, pretzels, Fritos, and nuts.
  2. In a medium microwavable bowl, add the butter, honey, and brown sugar. Microwave for about 3 minutes, stirring half-way through then pour over the dry mixture and stir well.
  3. Dump the snack mix on wax paper (or foil) to cool.

Sweet & Salty Snack Mix

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Chocolate Cranberry Ginger Cookies (Vegan)

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These Chocolate Cranberry Ginger Cookies would be a great addition to your holiday cookie tray.

chocolate cranberry ginger cookies

Why?

Because…

They are easy to make.

They are actually not too bad for you (as far as cookies go).

They are DELICIOUS.

I don’t see any reason to continue this list.

chocolate cranberry ginger cookies

Last year I mentioned that my mom and I enter the Star Tribune Cookie Contest each year. Since I live in Denver now, we weren’t able to have our little baking day this year to create a new cookie recipe. (Maybe next year we’ll have to do it via Skype. Mom – thoughts??)

Two years ago we submitted the recipe for these Chocolate Cranberry Ginger Cookies. Although it didn’t make it as a finalist, the recipe did receive an Honorable Mention, which was a huge win in our book. HUGE.

These Chocolate Cranberry Ginger Cookies even made it into The Duesterhoeft Café cookbook. So you know they’re good.

chocolate cranberry ginger cookies

So yeah.

They are easy to make – All you need is a bowl, some measuring equipment, and a wooden spoon. The wet ingredients are added into the dry ingredients to form some thick dough, which is then rolled into balls and baked into cookies.

They are healthy-ish – These cookies are vegan and filled with great things like coconut oil, applesauce, and white whole wheat flour. Not to mention the added health benefits from chocolate, cranberry, and ginger. Feel free to grab more than one.

They are delicious – Chocolate cookies are always amazing, but the ginger and cranberry give them an extra dose of delicious and a nice holiday flavor.

Gobble up two and then savor one. You don’t even need to feel guilty about it.

chocolate cranberry ginger cookies

Don’t forget to add these cookies to your tray too: Molasses Cremes with Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting and Christmas Treasure Drop Cookies.

Happy baking!!

Chocolate Cranberry Ginger Cookies (Vegan)
 
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These Chocolate Cranberry Ginger Cookies are the perfect addition to your holiday cookies tray. They are easy, healthy, vegan, and very delicious!
Serves: 24 cookies
Ingredients
  • 1 ½ cup white whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons corn starch
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
  • ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup crystallized ginger
  • ⅓ cup dried cranberries
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour -> ground ginger).
  3. In a medium bowl, stir together the coconut oil, applesauce, and vanilla extract.
  4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until incorporated. Stir in the crystallized ginger and dried cranberries. The dough will be thick.
  5. Roll dough into small balls and place about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
  6. Bake for 12-14 minutes, being careful not to over-bake. Let cool for 10 minutes before transferring cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
You can find crystallized ginger in a couple of different places. The first few times I made these I used crystallized candied ginger chunks from Trader Joes and chopped them into small pieces. This year I used Archer Farms crystallized ginger from the spice aisle in Target.
The corn starch can be omitted, but it gives the cookies a softer and chewier texture.
Drizzling (vegan) chocolate on top of these cookies is also a good idea and dresses them up a bit.
You can make the dough ahead of time, shape them into balls, and place in a Ziploc bag in the freezer until you’re ready to bake them. Just let them thaw a little bit before placing them in the oven.
Baked cookies last up to 5 days in an airtight container.

 

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caramel apple snack cake

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I love caramel, apples, snacks, and cake, so a caramel apple snack cake just makes sense.

caramel apple snack cake

The cinnamon/caramel/apple flavor combination is essentially the epitome of fall. The smell of this snack cake baking in the oven will make you want to grab some friends, go on pretty fall walk, and jump in piles of crisp leaves.

Maybe those crisp leaves are now buried under a pile of snow?? A walk is still a good idea.

So go do that as these are cooling. Then when you come in you can enjoy a slice with mugs of steamy coffee and your favorite people.

caramel apple snack cake

To make these I took a basic blondie recipe (1 stick butter, 1 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 cup flour) and added in some cinnamon, a shredded Zestar apple, and some caramel bits (these things). The moisture from the apple made these light and cakey rather than gooey and dense like blondies typically are.

Which is why I am calling it a snack cake.

Side note: Make sure to squeeze the excess moisture out of the shredded apple!

caramel apple snack cake

On a semi-related note, Katie and I had friends visiting this weekend from California (hi Ellie & Oliver!), so we drove towards the mountains for short, yet scenic hike at St. Mary’s Glacier. It was so, so beautiful. We took lots of pictures and stopped for lunch near the glacier. Naturally, I packed pieces of this caramel apple snack cake for dessert.

St. Mary's Glacier

It was such a fun afternoon. I don’t think the beauty of the mountains will ever stop surprising me. Never, ever.

caramel apple snack cake

caramel apple snack bars
 
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A snack cake full of all the best fall flavors: cinnamon, apple, and caramel!
Serves: 16 pieces
Ingredients
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 ¼ cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 medium apple, shredded (I used a Zestar)
  • ½ cup caramel bits
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x8” baking pan with foil and spray with non-stick spray.
  2. Mix the melted butter, brown sugar, and egg together until everything is combined.
  3. Stir in the flour and cinnamon until incorporated.
  4. Fold in the shredded apple and caramel bits (saving a bit to put on top).
  5. Place batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle on the remaining caramel bits and a little bit of sea salt.
  6. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the center is set.
  7. Cool completely in the pan, then cut and serve!

caramel apple snack cake caramel apple snack cake

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Chocolate Banana Bread

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Last Thursday I was supposed to have a 5:30am client, so I got up, got dressed, ate, drank coffee, and was about to head out the door at 5:00 when I see a text, “I’m not feeling well, can we push our session out to tomorrow?”

Ugh.

Typically I would have said no and burned the session, but due to other circumstances I let it slide and pushed the session out to the next day.

So there I was awake at 5:00am and I decided to make some chocolate banana bread.

chocolate banana bread

Most people probably would have gone back to bed, but I decided to take advantage of the peaceful morning hours that I don’t typically see. Plus, there was some sort of rain-snow situation going on outside, so baking a warm chocolate-y loaf of banana bread just seemed right.

And then I had a loaf of chocolate banana bread at my fingertips to enjoy, soooo… no complaints.

chocolate banana bread

This chocolate banana bread recipe is adapted from this basic banana bread, but I replaced some of the flour with cocoa powder and traded the walnuts for chocolate chips. The wet ingredients are mixed into the dry before pouring the batter in a loaf pan. I decided to sprinkle some coffee grounds on top for an extra crunch and a light hint of coffee flavor to balance out the chocolate. I really liked it, but you could totally skip it if you wanted. It’s simple to make, even in the wee hours of the morning while your eyes may only be half-open.

The result is a delicious, moist loaf of banana bread with just the right hint of chocolate. It’s perfect for a mid-morning snack, but I wouldn’t argue with you if you ate it for breakfast and/or dessert.

chocolate banana bread

Oddly enough I posted that basic banana bread recipe almost exactly one year ago. Isn’t that weird? I can still clearly remember sitting down to type up that post as the banana bread was baking in the oven.

My life is so different now than it was then: Minneapolis to Denver. Supply Chain to Personal Training. Owning a condo to renting a garden level duplex. Lakes to mountains. Family close by to family far away. Not different in a bad way, just different.

chocolate banana bread

I haven’t quite gotten into my groove here in Denver, but now I’m ready to start hustling.

The chocolate banana bread helps with the motivation.

chocolate banana bread

Chocolate Banana Bread
 
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This chocolate banana bread is moist and delicious with the perfect hint of chocolate. It's perfect for a mid-morning snack accompanied with a big mug of coffee, but would be great for breakfast and/or dessert as well!
Serves: 12 slices
Ingredients
  • 1 ¼ white whole wheat flour
  • ½ cup cocoa powder
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
  • 2 medium overripe bananas, mashed
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¼ cup buttermilk
  • ½ cup chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon coffee grounds (optional)
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
  2. In a small bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, mashed bananas, vanilla extract, eggs, and buttermilk. Whisk until combined.
  4. Add the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until just combined.
  5. Stir in the chocolate chips, saving some for the top of the loaf.
  6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan then sprinkle with the coffee grounds and remaining chocolate chips
  7. Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean.
  8. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before removing and transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
You can make your own buttermilk by adding a little bit of lemon juice to regular milk (soy, dairy, almond, etc) or yogurt.
This bread will keep for a few days wrapped in plastic wrap or in the freezer for a few months.

Side note: I brought a majority of this loaf into work and crossed my fingers that the other trainers wouldn’t shame me and hate me for bringing in something not so healthy. They didn’t. They ate it and they loved it. I can’t explain to you how happy it made me.

chocolate banana bread

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Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

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My roommate and I have found ourselves in a little situation: we have a stockpile of ripe bananas in our freezer.

Do bananas ripen much quicker in a kitchen that is approximately 7 degrees too warm? Or do they ripen much quicker in Denver than in Minneapolis? Or are we just buying bananas that are already too close to ripening?

I guess it doesn’t matter. A stockpile of ripe bananas = An abundance of banana bread.

It’s actually a pretty good situation to be in and neither of us were complaining about eating this brown butter chocolate chip banana bread.

brown butter chocolate chip banana bread

Last week I came home from a particularly promising interview and didn’t want the good vibes to go to waste, so I dug into the ripe banana stockpile and whipped up some banana bread <— good decisions.

And decided to use brown butter and chocolate chips <— the best decisions.

brown butter chocolate chip banana bread

I turned on some tunes, browned butter, mashed bananas, mixed the wet with the dry, threw in a handful of chocolate chips, and just kept the good vibes going. Soon the delicious aroma of banana bread was filling the house.

This is the beauty of banana bread. It is so easy to make and smells like a dream.

brown butter chocolate chip banana bread

Plus, can we just all agree that fresh banana bread is one of the greatest things to eat ever?

I ate some, saved some for Katie, and brought the rest into Blackbird for my co-workers. That’s how I make friends… along with my charmingly awkward personality.

60% of the time it works every time.

brown butter chocolate chip banana bread

If you don’t have a stockpile of ripe bananas in your freezer, start building! Then bake this up, make some friends, and spread the good vibes.

PS – Basic Banana Bread, Chocolate Chip Raspberry Banana Bread, Brown Butter Bourbon Blondies, and Brown Butter Pumpkin Bars

brown butter chocolate chip banana bread

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
 
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Few things are better than freshly baked banana bread, but add some brown butter and chocolate chips in the mix and you know you're going to have a great day.
Serves: 12 slices
Ingredients
  • 9 tablespoons butter, unsalted
  • 2 large ripe bananas, mashed
  • ½ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 egg
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 ½ cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
  2. Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Continue to whisk until brown specks appear at the bottom, it will froth and foam a bit. Watch closely and be careful not to burn. It should be a light brown color and have a nutty aroma. Pour butter into a medium bowl, whisk in an ice cube, and let cool for a few minutes.
  3. Add the mashed bananas, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, and milk. Whisk until thoroughly combined.
  4. Add the flour and baking soda and stir a few times until just combined. Lumps are ok!
  5. Fold in the chocolate chips, saving some for the top of the loaf.
  6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle with the remaining chocolate chips.
  7. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean.
  8. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before removing and transferring to a cooling rack.
  9. Slice and serve the bread warm with your favorite spread. It will keep well for a few days wrapped in plastic wrap or in the freezer for a few months.
Notes
You can use any type of milk (dairy, almond, soy, etc) and yogurt works too.

If you are baking this in altitude, make the following adjustments: add an additional tablespoon of milk and flour and take just a little bit out of the teaspoon of baking soda and ½ cup of brown sugar. Also, increase the oven temperature to 365 degrees and reduce baking time to 45-50 minutes.

I said good vibes a lot in this post. No, I’m not high, but maybe it is the altitude?

brown butter choc chip banana bread5

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Sea Salt Brownies

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I am excited about these sea salt brownies for many, many reasons.

sea salt brownies

First of all, these are brownies. I realize there is no need for reasons beyond that, but I have some extra to share.

Another reason is the sea salt. Sea salt and chocolate just belong together.

Then there is the fact that I basically haven’t baked in months, which is basically forever ago and far too long to go without baking. It felt so great to stir up this chocolatey batter.

Also, this is the inaugural recipe of the JK Hotel and the first thing I’ve baked in the Denver altitude! (side note: JK Hotel = Jenna/Katie residence = come visit!)

Aannnndddd I successfully baked these with my broken right wrist.

So yeah, exciting brownies! Eeeee alsdj aslj gaio qklgboan!!

sea salt brownies

The base of these sea salt brownies is the same as the one in these bacon nut bourbon brownies. Minus the bacon, nuts, and bourbon, but with sea salt and some dark chocolate chunks sprinkled on top.

There are a few different chocolates going on here: bittersweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa powder, and dark chocolate chunks. All of these combine with some butter, flour, sugar, and eggs to make incredible brownies that are chocolatey and fudgey with that perfect hint of salt.

Just ridiculously amazing.

sea salt brownies

I hope you are as excited about these sea salt brownies as I am!

Sea Salt Brownies
 
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Chocolatey, fudgey, gooey brownies with sea salt for extra deliciousness!
Serves: 9 large brownies
Ingredients
  • ½ cup butter
  • 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
  • 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
  • 2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ¾ cup all purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon course sea salt, plus extra for topping
  • 3 ounces high quality dark chocolate, chopped (I used a Lindt dark chocolate bar with a touch of sea salt)
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 350° F. Take two pieces of parchment paper and place them perpendicularly in an 8x8” baking pan. Leave some overhang so that the brownies can easily be lifted out of the pan. Grease with butter or oil.
  2. Melt the butter, bittersweet chocolate, and unsweetened chocolate in a double boiler (a saucepan over a larger saucepan of boiling water) or in the microwave (heat for 30 seconds then stir, continuing this pattern until everything is melted).
  3. Stir in the cocoa powder.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, and vanilla until thoroughly combined. The sugar should be completely dissolved.
  5. Whisk in the chocolate mixture.
  6. Stir in the flour and sea salt.
  7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and top with the chopped dark chocolate and more sea salt.
  8. Bake for about 25-30 minutes. Do not overbake! Brownies can be slightly underdone and gooey.

sea salt brownies

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